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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29960520">Officer Grayson oneshots</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightwingWriter/pseuds/NightwingWriter'>NightwingWriter</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DCU (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Multi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:54:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>80</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>98,372</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29960520</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightwingWriter/pseuds/NightwingWriter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Short stories of Dick's adventures as officer Grayson</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Birdflash</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick grunted as the man's fist came in contact with his stomach again. This had been going on for some time, and Dick couldn't break free. He'd been grabbed after his shift had ended, and was in major pain.</p><p>The man's name was Elijah Kane, and he'd been one of Dick's bullies for as long as he could remember. It started in middle School, but remained a secret for as long as he could keep it that way. Bruce, Alfred, no one knew.</p><p>He was grabbed by the collar and slammed into one of the alleyway walls. He braced himself for the next punch, but it never came. He opened his eyes into slits and saw the Chief holding Elijah's fist, looking murderous. Elijah dropped Dick, who curled up on the ground. He hid his head in his arms.</p><p>Dick heard several thumps and many grunts. He heard running not long after, and one of them knelt down next to him. "You ok, Grayson?" That was the Chief.</p><p>He slowly removed his hands. The Chief saw something and pulled Dick into a hug.<br/>"It's ok, Dick. He's gone." They stayed like that for a few minutes.</p><p>Slowly, Dick became aware of what hurt. His stomach, chest, and left eye all hurt. His ankle was annoying him a little, but it wasn't anything huge.</p><p>"Who was he?" The Chief asked, hoping to track him down. "E-Elijah Kane. He's been a bully since middle School." Dick stuttered out. "Why didn't you come to me?" The Chief asked, running circles in Grayson's back. "Because the one time I tried to tell someone, I ended up in the hospital. It's better getting the smaller stuff than the big. Trust me, the big is ugly."</p><p>The Chief didn't know what to do. This had been going on for years at this point. He didn't know if he should get Dick home to make sure this didn't happen again, or go after Elijah. He decided on taking Dick home.</p><p>He held Dick stand, which is where things got complicated. Somehow, Grayson's ankle had been injured, and he couldn't walk on it. He had one arm draped around the Chief's shoulder, and the other was holding his side. Those ribs were way damaged.</p><p>They slowly made their way to Dick's car, with it being only a block away. Dick was put in the passenger side, then the Chief in the driver's side. He drove to Dick's apartment, occasionally glancing over at Dick.</p><p>He'd been silent since he's told the Chief it was better to take the small stuff. Elijah was going to find out. He was going to find out that Dick had ratted him out. And he wasn't going to be happy.</p><p>At his apartment, Dick pulled out the small med-kit he had for civilian life. The Chief laid him on the couch before starting. He looked at the ankle first, as that was his biggest concern. It was a small twist, something that would heal in a few days. He'd have to get Grayson a brace.</p><p>Next was Dick's torso. It was definitely the area with the most injuries. Bruises littered it, and he could see damaged ribs. He wrapped them up, planning on taking Dick to the hospital later.</p><p>Lastly was his face. He had a black eye, and was bleeding from his mouth. The Chief put one of the ice packs in Dick's eye, and wiped the blood from his mouth. By now, Dick had fallen asleep.</p><p>The Chief put a blanket over Dick, making sure he stayed asleep. He then picked up his phone and decided to make a few calls.</p><p>"This is Amanda." "Amanda. We've got a code 13, name Elijah Kane. Meet me at the station tonight at eight." "Will do. Weapons?" "Just brass knuckles. This is more personal. Goes back to middle School." "On my way." He continued like that, calling Brutus, James, Selina, and Tom. This was the Grayson protection squad™. No one hurt their little brother.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Hostage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick pulled on the ropes binding his wrists and ankles together. He was in the back of a moving van, and had been gagged. Not good.</p><p>How did this happen? Well, let's rewind.</p><p>The day had been pretty busy for the force today. They had almost no cops left. So, when they got another 911 call, Dick offered to check it out.</p><p>When he got there, he saw... nothing. Empty space. The call had been placed at a small house, a house that was completely empty. Dick saw a small scratch on the ground and knelt down to investigate it. He heard a creak behind him and turned to check it out, but was hit upside the head, hard.</p><p>He collapsed to the floor, already seeing black. He managed to look up and see two men before blacking out. He'd woken up in the van, unsure of how much time had passed.</p><p>He was forced out of his thoughts when the van stopped. He struggled desperately. The back doors opened, blinding him. The two men grabbed him, one around his arms and the other around his legs.</p><p>They took him inside an old warehouse. There was a room similar to an Arkham cell, with the walls being stone except for one, which was glass. They placed him in the room before slamming the door shut.</p><p>He laid on his side, unable to do anything else. His head was killing him, and he couldn't always think straight. That's a concussion for sure. He really was trapped.</p><p>They'd taken his weapons. His shoes and jacket had been taken from him as well. He shivered. The stone was freezing. He fell asleep, knowing that whatever these men had planned wasn't good.</p><p>When he woke up again, the sun was in his eyes. It was coming through the window, annoying him. He turned, his back facing the glass. He was about to go back to sleep when the door slammed open. He looked over his shoulder to see the two men with a camera.</p><p>One of them set it down on a tripod. The other walked over to him. They put their foot in Dick's chest and started pressing. Dick gasped. They were pushing the air out of his lungs. He writhed, trying to get the man off. Eventually, he lifted his foot. Dick laid there, panting, just getting air back into his lungs.</p><p>The man with the camera gave a thumbs up. "Hello, Blüdhaven police. We've recovered something you misplaced." The man grabbed his hair and jerked his head up, forcing him to look at the camera. Once satisfied, he slammed Dick's head back into the ground. "Ten million dollars by Wednesday night. Meet at the docks, or the kid's dead." The camera turned off, and the two men left the room.</p><p>Dick curled up. He hoped they wouldn't agree with this. He's rather be dead than have costed the city millions.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>At the department, people were out of their minds with worry. Dick had gone to investigate a 911 call two days ago, and still hasn't returned. They'd scoured the city, but had no luck. They were getting scared when someone sent a video to the Chief.</p><p>He cast it up on the plasma, in case it was about Dick. Two men came onto the tv in a poorly lit room. "Hello, Blüdhaven police. We've recovered something you misplaced." He grabbed something and jerked it up. Even in the poor light, everyone could tell it was Dick.</p><p>The man slammed his head down into the ground, earning a grunt from Dick and several cries of anger from the department. "Ten million dollars by Wednesday night. Meet at the docks, or the kid's dead." The video ended, leaving everyone pissed off.</p><p>They'd had the gaul to mess with their baby brother. Everyone agreed, these men were not making it out alive. "How are we going to do this?" Amanda asked.</p><p>"We pretend to pay the ransom. I want a small team to scope out the location, get a few snipers in place. When the deal goes down, we get Grayson back and kill the two idiots who thought this was a good idea." The Chief instructed.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Dick was starving. He'd been here two days, no food or water. He'd grown tired more easily. Often, Dick just spent the day sleeping.</p><p>He'd lost hope. About what? Not escape, not living, but he'd lost hope that the department was not going to pay the ransom. He felt bad enough that he'd let himself get captured. Now, he was going to force the department to pay ten million dollars.</p><p>On the third day, the two men came in again. They picked him up like the first time, one at his arms and one at his legs. They placed him in the back of the van again. He curled up, feeling sorry for all the trouble he'd caused, when it wasn't his fault in reality. He was just too blind to see that right now.</p><p>They stopped not long after. One again, they carried him into a small room. This time, the warehouse was near the docks. They really were going through with this. However, they placed a weight around his ankles. That had to be their backup plan. Make it impossible to escape.</p><p>"You know, he's not bad looking. I could have some fun with him tonight." One of the men told the other. Dick was completely awake immediately. Whenever someone talked about "fun" like that, they meant sex. Oh God, they wanted to rape him.</p><p>"No. The police will already be on our asses for taking him. I'm not going to have rape added to my charges." Oh, thank goodness. "You don't have to. I'd be the one to actually do it." No, no, no. "No. That's final."</p><p>Thank God. Dick sightly relaxed again. He felt some unknown guilt go away. If they paid the ransom, which they would, at least they weren't wasting it on a cop who couldn't protect himself.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>It was finally Wednesday night. The Chief and Amanda had an empty briefcase while three snipers surrounded the area. The two men were easily spotted. One of them had Dick in his arms, holding a knife to his neck. Dick had guilt dancing in his eyes.</p><p>"Well? Money first." The Chief set down the briefcase. "Do you have the fifteen million?" Fifteen! "You told us ten million." Amanda shouted, unable to keep herself calm. "Price just went up. It's fifteen, or he's dead." "We only have ten." "Then he's dead."</p><p>The man threw Dick, who had the weight around his ankles, into the water. "Grayson!" Amanda shouted, wanting to run to him. The men pulled out guns, however, and blocked her. "We said if we didn't get the money, he was dead. He's going to be dead." The man raised the gun and was about to shoot when one of the snipers took a shot. The man went down, a bullet in his head.</p><p>"Dave! That's it, you're dead too!" He went down to another sniper, a bullet in his heart. The Chief dove into the water, hoping he wasn't too late.</p><p>The weight had dragged Dick to the bottom of the harbor. He was struggling, trying to get out of the ropes. The chief swam down and pulled out his knife. He cut the ropes around his arms, noticing how Dick was slowing. He cut the ropes around Dick's ankles. By this time, Dick had stopped moving completely.</p><p>The chief grabbed Grayson under his arms and swam up. When he broke the surface, he noticed Dick wasn't breathing. "Damnit. C'mon, Dick, stay with me." He put Dick on his back when he reached land.</p><p>He pulled the gag off and started CPR. Someone ran up behind him. Dick still wasn't responding. "Dick, c'mon, wake up. Breathe!" He muttered, hoping Dick could hear him.</p><p>The chief was almost ready to declare him dead when he started coughing. Dick rolled over, hacking the rest of the water out. "Grayson!" Amanda shouted before hugging him. "Please don't do that ever again!" Dick smiled weakly. "I'll try not to."</p><p>The chief heard the sound of the ambulance in the distance. He grabbed Dick from Amanda, who ran off to get it. "Are you ok Dick? Did they do anything to you?" Dick shook his head. "Just a concussion and some bruises from the ropes. Those things were tight."</p><p>The chief picked Dick up and carried him to the wood of the docks. They came with the stretcher, which he set Dick onto. Amanda walked over to him and watched as they took Dick away. "Is he going to be ok?" The chief nodded.</p><p>At the hospital, Dick had fallen asleep. Not of his own accord, but because they'd drugged him. He was tired from nearly drowning, being starved and dehydrated, and his concussion. But, he was free. And the squad™ was going to keep it that way.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Comfort</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick moved through the crowd of civilians and officers. There had been a fire, and one of the children wouldn't calm down. Dick found two officers around a little girl who was crying. That was probably her.</p><p>When they saw him, they relaxed. "Look, this is officer Grayson. He's going to help you, ok?" One of them whispered to the small girl. They backed off as he knelt down. "What's your name?"</p><p>She sniffled. "Laura." "Well, that's a pretty name. Why are you crying?" "My mommy got stuck in the fire. They think she's dead. She's all I have." She said, a few more tears slipping out of her eyes. "I lost my mom, too." She looked up. "Really?" He nodded.</p><p>He sat down beside her, and she crawled into his lap. "What happened?" "One day, she was flying. A man said he wanted to protect her, but he just wanted money. When they said no, he clipped her wings. She fell."</p><p>Laura hugged him. "I'm sorry." "It's ok, Laura. Neither of us could control what happened. But we're here, and you know what?" She tilted her head. "What?" "We get to carry them inside us. They'll always be with us, no matter what. We can't see them, we can't hear them, but they're there, looking over us." He told her, watching as her tears slowed until they stopped. She smiled. "Really?" "Really."</p><p>"Get a stretcher! There's a survivor!" Someone from inside the building yelled. Laura looked up to see them taking it inside. "Who is it?" "I don't know. Here, get on my back, and we'll both find out." She climbed on his back like a little monkey. Holding her legs, he walked towards the entrance. When the stretcher came back out, Laura gasped. "That's my mommy!"</p><p>The woman in the stretcher was burnt, but not being recognition. Dick could see the similarities between the two. "I'm going to see if we can ride in the ambulance with them." He whispered to her. She clung onto him as if he was the only thing left.</p><p>Sure enough, they rode with her to the hospital. Laura looked scared, as if the person couldn't be her mom. Her Mom was strong, not broken. Her Mom never got hurt. But she knew. She just knew.</p><p>At the hospital, Dick stayed with her, just being there. She was always grabbing something, his hand, his leg, sometimes hugging him. Like he was the only thing she had. Eventually, the doctor came out. "She's got some pretty bad burns, but she's expected to make a full recovery." Laura almost cried. Her Mom was going to be alright.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Whenever the force had a need for a comforter, someone who could help others, they always sent in Grayson. They didn't know what to do when it was him that needed the comforting.</p><p>He came into work looking depressed one day. He didn't say a word, and no one saw the usual spark in his eyes. No one knew what had happened, and Grayson didn't seem to want to spill.</p><p>He'd worked files that day. The chief had told him to stay off patrol, and he didn't mind. The invasion had just ended, but at a price. He thought of Wally, and realized his mistake. He was in a workspace with other people. Whenever he thought of Wally, he cried. Dick managed to keep it in, except wiping an escaped tear.</p><p>Many people came up that day and asked what was wrong. He knew it was wrong keeping his emotions bottled up, but he needed to stay strong. Wally deserved that. He never answered, knowing if he did he'd start crying. How are you supposed to tell people you're in love with your best friend, and that he's dead?</p><p>Eventually, his shift ended and he went home. He didn't see the other cops watching him. The entire force was worried, but only a small portion would do anything about it. The small group, or Grayson protection squad™ consisted of the chief, Amanda, Brutus, James, Selina, and Tom. The people closest to him.</p><p>In the way home, he was grabbed and pulled into an alley. He was shoved against a wall. "Here's the deal, kid. We want your money. Give it to us, or you die." The squad™ was about to go in when Grayson said something that shocked them all. "Bold of you to assume I want to live."</p><p>The squad™ looked at each other. What had happened to their energetic young brother? "Well, in that case, I'll end the pain for you." The other voice said before they heard a gun cock. They finally moved in to see Grayson against a wall with a gun to his head. "Don't move! We have you surrounded." The man dropped the gun and fell to his knees. Dick just brushed himself off.</p><p>"Don't think you're off the hook Grayson. What the hell happened to you? You were energetic, happy. Anytime someone talked about killing themselves, you'd smother them in a hug." The chief exclaimed after they'd put the man in jail. Dick looked away. "Can we do this somewhere else?" He asked in a small voice. The chief nodded. "We're only about a block from my place. I swear, I'll explain. Just promise not to judge. Please." "It's ok, Dick. None of us are going to judge. Just tell us what's going on."</p><p>Dick sighed as they invaded his home. "I've just lost someone. Real close." "Who?" Amanda asked, wondering who had broken his heart. "M-my boyfriend, Wally." The squad™ stared. Dick was gay, so what?</p><p>"When?" Brutus asked. How long has he been carrying this around? "Six days ago." Amanda squeaked in surprise, and the others stayed silent. Why did he come to work? "If you need, I can give you a few days off." Dick shook his head. "Work's the only thing that keeps him off my mind. Otherwise, I'm going to be in the couch all day, crying my eyes out. I don't like to do that." Dick unconsciously rubbed his arm.</p><p>"That doesn't explain the alley thing." Tom pointed out. "That? That was something I saw on the internet. I wasn't being serious. I knew you were there. I knew you would stop him. I needed him to think I really wanted to die so that when he was arrested, he wouldn't resist. An angry squad™ is something no one wants to face."</p><p>"But, I'm confused. Why would we be angry?" "Because someone's messed with a suicidal person, possibly pushing them further. Now, imagine a squad™ trying to get rid of that. You've just messed with an overprotective squad™, and they've all got guns. What are you going to do?"</p><p>The squad™ knew. They'd give up, then and there. "But, you don't actually want to, right?" Dick looked down. "There are…days. Days I'm just tired. Days I'm almost desperate to see him. I'm usually pretty good at hiding it. Today was one of those days. That's why I was out of it."</p><p>The chief sighed. "Dick, show us your arms." He looked surprised, but rolled up his sleeves. There was only one scar, and that was from a gunshot wound. The squad™ relaxed. He hadn't started cutting. "Just tell us if there's a day, or if it gets really bad, ok? We can cover for you." Dick nodded. Wally was gone, but maybe, just maybe, he would be ok.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Funerals suck</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick grunted as another bullet entered his body. He'd gotten cornered in a shootout. He was alone, and bleeding out. He knew he was almost done.</p><p>"Grayson, get out of there!" Amanda shouted over the communication. "Can't…cornered and injured…no way out. Agh!" He screamed as two bullets hit him. "Grayson! Hold on, backup's coming. Stay there." He looked in the chamber of his gun. One bullet.</p><p>"Not enough time…I've only got one bullet, and I'm surrounded by seven people. They get away…this city's going down. I've gotta stop them here and now." "Grayson, you're talking suicide. Stay there. We've almost reached you." Dick saw an open gas pipe. "It's been an honor." He aimed, and shot.</p><p>The pipe, and the building, exploded. "Grayson!" Amanda shouted, finding it hard to breathe. Dick was dead. The entire force felt tears coming to their eyes. Their youngest member was dead.</p><p>The city funded his funeral. Dick Grayson was one of the best known people and cops, and everyone came to mourn. Even Bruce Wayne. Many people had forgotten Dick was Bruce's son.</p><p>Dick's picture was placed among those fallen in the line of service. He even had a small statue dedicated to him. The force never filled Dick's desk, never found another person who could make them smile like Dick could.</p><p>A year later, the force found itself in a sticky situation. The chief had been grabbed by a gang, and currently had a gun to his head. The force couldn't get a shot without injuring the chief. Suddenly, the gang looked up and freaked out. "I thought I told you stay away from my team."</p><p>The department looked up to see Dick Grayson on the catwalk, alive and healthy. He didn't have anything in his hands yet, but they could see his belt full of weapons. "I'll give you ten seconds." Everyone but the guy holding the chief ran. "Oh, I get some fun!" The department watched as he threw himself from the catwalk. They thought he was going to end up landing wrong.  However, he landed just fine.</p><p>"Shall we dance?" He joked before the man dropped the chief. "Let's dance." The gang member pulled out a gun and shot. The entire force thought he'd been shot, but he had just dodged it. He darted in, again and again, always hitting the man without getting hit. The force watched him in amazement. Their little brother could do that?</p><p>Finally, the man dropped to the ground unconscious. "Well, that was fun. Now, I gotta-" "You gotta what Grayson? You ain't going anywhere till you explain to us how the hell you survived." The chief stepped in. Grayson chuckled. "I was going to say, round them up, but I guess that's gone." The force gathered around, eager to hear the story.</p><p>"I'd gotten the line before ducking back into my shelter. Most of the fire missed me, but I was still burnt pretty badly. The building started collapsing, and I was ready to die when a piece of debris landed over me, making a shelter. I had passed out from the pain by then, and I was unable to call to you in the search. When I woke up again, I'd say about three days later, I made my way out of the wreckage and to a nearby home.</p><p>"A couple found me. When they saw me hurt, they called a hospital. They took me to Star City memorial, as we were closer. I spent a few weeks there before I was clear to walk. I went into rehab, which took about four months.</p><p>"Then, I went undercover, fighting the crime the police couldn't. I needed the  gangs to think I was dead so I could investigate them. I've got evidence against about five of them, with a list of members at a small warehouse. That's if you want them." The entire force stared at him. Dang, their little brother was hardcore.</p><p>"Well? Let's get the evidence, and get you to your desk." Dick looked surprised. "Dick, we never replaced you. Besides, I'm going to need one of my best cop back." The chief smiled. Dick gave an unbelievable chuckle, joy in his eyes. "You're serious? As in, I'm getting my job back?" "Dead serious."<br/>The entire force smiled. Their little brother was safe. "Grayson?" "Yeah?" "Don't do that again. Funerals suck."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Nightmare</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Grayson protection squad™ was about to leave when they saw Grayson's lamp on. He'd probably fallen asleep. Amanda went over to his desk to wake him up when she saw how he was acting.</p><p>He was sweating majorly. He was whimpering, sometimes saying no. He was grabbing at nothing, and his breathing was labored.</p><p>"Grayson. Grayson, wake up!" Amanda shook him, trying to get him out of his nightmare. "What's wrong?" Brutus asked. "It's Grayson. He's having a nightmare and he's not waking up." Amanda told them, causing worry. The chief shook Grayson, but no reaction.</p><p>"Alright. I'm going to pick him up. Let's take him out back and get water. We may need to wake him up that way." The chief told the small group. They all knew their parts. Amanda and Selina were with the chief while Brutus and Tom got the water.</p><p>As soon as the chief had Grayson in his arms, they split. Amanda and Selina opened doors along the way. The chief carried the man he considered a brother through the hallways, occasionally shifting him. Whatever this nightmare was, it wasn't normal.</p><p>The chief set him down in the courtyard, and the two women took off his jacket and got towels. Brutus and Tom came not long after, carrying a small bucket of water. After a nod from the chief, they flung it onto Grayson, who shot up coughing.</p><p>"What the hell, guys!" He shouted before being handed a towel. "You were having a bad nightmare, and wouldn't wake up." He stared. "We couldn't have done this at my place?" "Nope." Brutus responded, popping the "p".</p><p>"Wanna tell us what it was about?" Selina asked. "Not really." He grabbed his jacket and walked off. "Grayson!" He sighed.</p><p>"Fine. You want to know what I saw?" He turned back to face them, a sharp look in his eyes. "I saw everyone I care about murdered. Every. Single. One of them. And I was left alone. Alive, but alone. So just drop it." Dick left, slamming the door to the courtyard.</p><p>The squad™ watched their baby brother stalk off. "Well, that was dramatic." Tom said, breaking the silence. "Yeah, but what else are you going to do? It's Grayson, he was raised to be dramatic." Brutus pointed out. "We'll ask him tomorrow, when he's a little more specific. Go home, y'all." The cord instructed. There wasn't much else he could do until tomorrow.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Frozen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As soon as Dick, officer Grayson, saw what was going on, he jumped in. Freeze had come to Blüdhaven and had abducted several children. He'd planned on freezing all of the children to spite their parents.</p><p>The entire force had been called in. Grayson was the first one sent in. What he saw was Freeze about to encase a baby in ice. He leapt forward, completely covering the baby. Freeze shot, and instead of the baby freezing alone, Dick ended up being frozen, with the baby still in his arms.</p><p>Dick didn't know what was going on. Everything was black, and cold. There was a source of warmth in his arms, but his mind told him he needed to keep it warm. He couldn't move, but he made sure the warmth stayed in his arms.</p><p>Outside, there had been negative reactions. Another officer has seen Grayson get frozen. "Officer down, Grayson is frozen! He's got something in his arms, I can't see what. I think it's one of the children." "Move in. Shoot only for Freeze. A few of us will evacuate the children. Once everything is over, get heaters in here and get him out." The chief ordered over the comms.</p><p>Inside the building, the children were screaming. A man was frozen, and Macy's baby sister was in there with him. "Quiet! That is all of your fates, only there will be no one to save you." The cold man raised his gun again, ready to shoot. He was about to when the door was shoved down. It was the police!</p><p>"Don't move, Freeze! You're under arrest for kidnapping." Freeze sighed. "I have already claimed one of your own. You know I will not go down easily." "We're giving you one chance, Freeze! Let them go, or we start firing." Freeze pointed his gun at them, unaware of the small group moving the kids. "Then fire away."</p><p>And they did. The police opened fire, aiming for chinks in the suit. Freeze fired back, attempting to ice some of them. But because of the distraction, he missed completely.</p><p>Inside the ice, Dick knew something was wrong. He heard noises, noises he'd heard before, but couldn't tell what they were. He just knew they were bad. He had to make sure the warmth got out alright.</p><p>One of the cops hit a tube on Freeze's suit. Inside was a mist, and it started spilling out. Freeze saw this and started freaking out. "No, no, no!" He tried to freeze the tube, but an officer shot the gun out of his hand. Not long after, they'd managed to cuff him. Two more police had been frozen fully, and another was stuck about halfway in.</p><p>"All the children are out, except a baby sister. Think that's the one Grayson is protecting?" One of the rescue officers asked. "Most likely. Still, search the facility. What age are we looking for?" "About eight months old."</p><p>After a while of waiting, they finally got the heaters the city had developed for incidents like this. They got the half frozen officer out first, as he was the only one who could complain. They worked on the two who got frozen during the fighting before Dick, because they wanted everyone ready in case he was hurt.</p><p>They turned on the heaters, hoping it wouldn't take too long. Inside the ice, Dick was confused. The sounds had just suddenly stopped. The coldness seemed to be going away. He was finally able to open his eyes, just to see he was in ice. His eyes flickered down to the warmth in his arms, saw it was a baby, and he panicked. Had the baby frozen? He was about to attempt to move when it coughed. It was still alive.</p><p>Eventually, the ice melted enough for it to completely crack, causing him to fall a little. He'd been in the air when he was frozen. Someone caught him and laid him on his side. He opened his eyes to see officers all around him. Dick shivered. He was cold.</p><p>Someone started rubbing his back. "You're safe now, Grayson. The baby's safe. You can let go now." Someone, probably the same person, whispered. He let his grip slack, and the baby was lifted out of his arms. Someone put a blanket over him, which he was thankful for.</p><p>"Is he ok? He's not reacting right. He's supposed to be a little cold, but awake." Someone asked. Another person put the back of their hand on his forehead. "Dammit. He was in there too long, he's too cold. Get the stretcher, put him on it, and get him to the hospital. It's looking like a bad case of hypothermia."</p><p>He was lifted up bridal style and placed on some sort of board. Someone started strapping him down to the board. "Keep that blanket on him and put an IV in. Get him as warm as possible." Everything was very fuzzy, and it was starting to get darker. "Hey, stay with us! Don't fall asleep, we need you to tell us what happened." "Freeze...Ice gun...tried to freeze a baby...I stepped in."</p><p>"Ok, that's good! Look, can you do something for me? We're almost to the hospital, stay awake for me, ok? Just stay awake." "Think I'm...about to fail that one." "No, no, no! Stay awake, stay with me." "It's getting...darker. Don't know...if I can." "Faster! He's about to go under!"</p><p>Dick didn't hear anything else. The black consumed him, almost like it did in the ice. Except he went all the way under. He tried to fight it, tried to fight his way above the black tide. But it was useless. The tide had too much pull, and had Dick under in seconds.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Frozen 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When he was finally able to fight his way out, he was blinded. The kind of blinding that comes from hospital rooms. He slowly let his eyes adjust. He saw a white ceiling, and part of a head. He turned his head to see one of the many officers at his side. "He's awake!" One of them announced.</p><p>"You gave us a heart attack, kid." "We were so worried!" "Don't you dare do that again, Grayson." Voices came at him all at once. "Ok, ok, I get it. I should never pass out again, or else I'll go deaf." He joked. "So, what exactly happened?" The chief shoved the rest of the department out.</p><p>"When we got you out of the ice, you weren't responding. You wouldn't let us anywhere near the baby at the beginning. She's fine, by the way. Then, I don't know if it was the sudden temperature change, or if it was the fact that you had a baby with you in the ice, but your systems were overloaded. You have a bad case of hypothermia. The blast started at your head, giving you a moderate concussion. You've been out a week."</p><p>He sighed. "I expected I've been out about a week, but this is going to be torture." "And why is that?" "Have you ever had the department on you after you've been injured? It's like being in training, only ten times worse. And then I'm assuming I'm bedridden for a week or two, and you know how I hate that." The chief chuckled.</p><p>"You're the one that got frozen. Not me. Now get some sleep. The more you sleep, the less you have to spend in bed." Dick groaned. Another chuckle. "It could be worse. You could have a broken bone and be bedridden longer." Dick shivered. "Don't put the idea in my brain, please. And could I get another blanket?" The chief smiled. "Course."</p><p>He left the room, finally leaving Dick alone. He turned into his side and shivered again. The cold seemed to be inside him. The chief came back in with a blanket in his hands to see Dick shivering like it was the end of the world. He spread the blanket over the poor kid, who burrowed into it.</p><p>He ruffled Dick's hair before leaving. By now, the force had filed out, still having to work. The Grayson protection squad™ was still there, and looked up as he left the room. "How is he?" Amanda asked. "He's fine. Cold, but fine." The squad™ relaxed, but tensed up again when they heard running. It turned out to be Bruce, who'd had a nurse tell him Dick was awake.</p><p>They allowed the distressed father to get the room alone with Dick. He'd needed it. Bruce had only left to work and sleep, and that was because his Butler forced him to.</p><p>When Bruce stepped into the room, his breath caught in his throat. Dick was trying to sit up. "What are you doing?" Dick snapped towards Bruce before smiling. "Bruce! I'm trying to sit up, do you mind?" Bruce smiled before reaching for the small remote. The bed moved into a sitting up position, to which Dick looked happy about. "I needed that. So, what you wanna talk about?"</p><p>Bruce could still see the small tints of blue in Dick's skin. "You still cold?" "Yeah." Dick let out a shiver he'd tried to hold in. "Is that normal?" Dick shrugged. "As soon as they release you, I want to investigate this myself." Dick nodded.</p><p>Bruce couldn't help it any longer and enveloped his son in a hug. Dick leaned into it, happy both for the actual hug and the warmth. "I'm so glad you're safe." Bruce kissed Dick's forehead. Dick just huddled further into Bruce.</p><p>Dick was in the hospital for a week before he was released. When he walked out, he was huddled in a jacket, even though it was still pretty warm. Then again, he had been frozen.</p><p>True to his word, Bruce started the investigation. He'd dragged Dick down to the cave, where it was even colder. Bruce performed all sorts of tests, from blood tests to DNA tests.</p><p>It took three days before Bruce found anything. "It's something about the way you were hit. Since the blast started at your head, your nerves are convinced they're still frozen. I can create an antidote, but it's going to take a day or two. Think you can handle being cold for a few more days, Anna?" "Don't patronize me."</p><p>Often, Dick spent his time outside in a hoodie and jeans. It was warmer than the manor. Bruce spent every second in the lab, working on the cure. For some reason, Dick kept getting colder instead of warmer.</p><p>One day, Bruce came outside with a syringe. "This is going to feel weird, but bare with me. And I'd take that hoodie off if I were you." Dick took it off, a wave of cold surging through him as he did. Bruce injected it into his arm before stepping back.</p><p>Dick didn't feel anything at first. Then, a tingle spread through his body. When it faded, he could feel something he hadn't in almost two weeks: warmth. He sighed as it flowed throughout his body. He leaned against a tree. "Oh, that feels good." Bruce chuckled before ruffling Dick's hair up. "I'm glad."</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Family visit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick was laughing at a joke Amanda had made when everyone started staring at something behind his back. He turned around to see Bruce Wayne looking at him. "Hey, Bruce. Is it Wednesday already?" "Yep."</p><p>"What's so important about Wednesday?" Another officer asked. "It's a day we can usually just hang out in, but the police is in an all hands on deck thing. I must've forgotten to tell you." "It's no big deal. We can hang out here."</p><p>So they did. Bruce and Dick chatted while he finished files, Bruce sometimes giving tips. Dick had had no big troubles, and Bruce had one assassin who had been annoying him, but had taken down. The team seemed to be getting on Bruce's nerves. "They just don't listen. They're a lot like you: they're told recon, and they blow something up." Bruce said, getting a chuckle out of Dick.</p><p>"All cops, we have located our criminal. He's on the corner of 20th and Jackson Street. Converge on him." Dick stood up, grabbing his stuff. He saw the concerned look on Bruce's face when he grabbed his gun. "The department lets me use rubber bullets. I haven't killed anyone, and I don't plan on it." Bruce relaxed.</p><p>As he arrived, Dick heard gunshots. He snuck in to see Skylar Dreges shooting at the officers. He shot her in the chest, knocking her off her feet. She saw him and started shooting at him. He ducked, but not fast enough to dodge a bullet. And unlike his, hers were real.</p><p>Eventually, Skylar was taken in. Dick, who had been shot in the side, was the only one injured. He managed to hide his injury and went back to the department. His shift was almost up, and he could fix it up at home. When he got there, Bruce was sitting at his desk, working on Wayne industries stuff.</p><p>Bruce looked up and smiled, but saw the pain Dick was in. "At home, right?" Dick nodded. He peeled his hand off and saw it covered in a thin layer of blood. "Yeah. I've only got five more minutes. I can go without bleeding out if I keep pressure on it."</p><p>And so he did. For the next five minutes, he say there with one hand on his side, the other typing. Bruce occasionally checked on his work, pointed out a few mistakes, but nothing big.</p><p>When it came time for him to leave, now that the threat was eliminated, he managed to walk out without passing out. Bruce's limo was no where in sight. "My car's in the parking lot. Do you mind driving?" Bruce shook his head.</p><p>The ride there was quiet. Dick occasionally groaned in pain, or from staying awake, which in turn caused Bruce to shake him. It was getting harder to keep his eyes open. "Hey, we're here. C'mon, I got you." Bruce said as he helped Dick out. Dick almost fell, but Bruce caught him. Dick made it to his apartment before his vision started blurring.</p><p>Bruce led him to the couch, where he laid on his good side. "Shirt off, Dickie." Bruce said in a quiet voice. He'd gone to grab the small med-kit from Dick's room. He pulled the shirt off, grimacing when he got closer towards his injured side. Bruce stitched up the wound quickly, trying to keep his son from bleeding out. By the time he was finished, Dick had fallen asleep. It was that or passed out.</p><p>He carried Dick to his room before shaking him slightly. Dick opened his eyes, two tired orbs looking at Bruce. "Hey, you can go to sleep later, but for now I need you to change. I'm going to fix your uniform." With a groan, Dick stood up. Bruce slightly trailed Dick in case he felt lightheaded. Dick changed into a loose t-shirt and sweat pants.</p><p>Bruce took out the small vial of nano bots before opening it. It was something he and Dick had designed for instances like this. It repaired threads and took out any stains immediately. He poured a small amount onto the shirt and watched as they worked their magic. Soon enough, you couldn't tell there had ever been any blood, or a hole.</p><p>Bruce placed it in his closet, where he saw Nightwing suits hung up. How has no one figured out Dick's identity yet? He'd have to talk to his oldest about that tomorrow.</p><p>Bruce looked down on the sleeping Ebony. He'd turned out better than Bruce could've hoped. If he was honest, Dick had turned out better than him. And Bruce was glad. He knew his son could provide for himself. Well, if he could stop trying to hide injuries.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. What to do</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick snuck through the corridors, looking for the criminal. The force had gotten a 911 call, and a small team had been sent in. Apparently, a man had tried to rape fifteen year olds.</p><p>All Dick had left was one room. "South side's clear." "North is as well." "East is clear. West, what's your status?" "One room before I can say." Dick took a breath before sneaking into the room. He didn't find the man, but he found something weirder. "West side's clear, but I found something. You might wanna see this."</p><p>Inside the room was pictures of him. From his time living with Bruce to yesterday at the store. There were pictures of his apartment, and if anyone was in the picture with him, their faces scratched off. Little hearts littered the corners of photos. There were even pictures of him half naked. "What the hell..." Dick trailed off.</p><p>Someone came in behind him, but he couldn't move. Someone had a serious obsession with him. "Grayson, are you ok?" Amanda, the person who came in, put her hand on his shoulder. "I've just found out I've got a stalker. How would you feel?"</p><p>The other two cops came in not long after. "I think we can all agree that Grayson doesn't need to be alone for a while." The North person said. Dick mentally cursed. He couldn't go out as Nightwing if someone was always breathing down his neck. "I'll stay with him tonight." Amanda offered. Ok, that wouldn't be bad then. The Grayson protection squad™ knew he was Nightwing.</p><p>Sure enough, Amanda stayed by his side the rest of the night. That is, until it was time for him to go out as Nightwing. "Grayson? I'm putting a tracker on you. If you're in danger, or don't come back on time, I'm coming to find you. Got it?" "I got it, Amanda. Here, as Nightwing, I can kick anybody's butt and be ok. It look a little weirder if Dick Grayson did." "Ok. Just be careful." He smiled as he opened the window. "Since when have I ever been careful?" He jumped out the window.</p><p>In the air, Nightwing was free. No stalkers, no worries. Just freedom. He found a few criminals who wanted to pick a fight, but nothing major.</p><p>When he got back, he found Amanda sleep on the couch. "My hero." He whispered, trying to hold in a laugh. Then, he had a brilliant idea. He grabbed his sharpies and got to work. Once he was satisfied, he changed and collapsed on his bed. Amanda was going to kill him, but it was worth it.</p><p>"Grayson!" A voice woke him up shortly before a pillow hit him in the face. He looked up to see Amanda looking furious. But it was hard to take her serious with a moustache. "How can I be of service to you, m'lady?" He joked before dodging another pillow. "What the hell did you use, Grayson!" "Sharpie." "Why, you little-" "Oh, look at that, we're almost late for work! I gotta change, Amanda!"</p><p>Amanda and Dick were racing up the steps, almost late when the chief came out. He looked confused when he saw Amanda, but said nothing. They walked into the office to be received with laughs. Everyone saw Amanda, and everyone knew Dick had been the one to do it.</p><p>"Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant." One officer snickered as they passed by. "Grayson, I'm going to kill you one day." She hissed through her teeth. "If you can get me before this stalker." He joked again. "Don't joke about that! That is serious. If they get you, there's no telling what they would do."</p><p>The day passed quietly, except for Amanda's threats. Nothing strange had happened, and the weird feeling he'd had was gone. There was one attempted robbery, but it was stopped quickly. Nothing strange was going on, and that bothered Dick.</p><p>That is, until later that night. He kept getting dizzy, and he was lightheaded. Amanda felt the same way too. He stood up and saw black dots lining his vision. Amanda stood up and fell, unconscious as soon as she got the floor. He looked around. The rest of the force was asleep as well.</p><p>He stumbled towards the emergency button, leaning heavily on the wall. He had almost pushed it when his legs finally gave out from under him. He tried to sit up, but fell back down. What was going on?</p><p>He heard footsteps, and saw someone walking towards him. He attempted to get up again, but couldn't. The person picked him up bridal style and started carrying him out. He managed to see a gas mask before passing out completely.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a very comfortable bed. He sat up and groaned. He found himself without a shirt, and got out of the very warm bed. He had a pair of silk pants on.</p><p>He saw a package on his desk and picked it up. On it was a letter. He read it.</p><p>Dear Dick,<br/>Welcome to your new home. Inside is an outfit I've chosen for you. If you're wondering where you are, you're in the Arizona desert. Put this on and meet me in the living room.<br/>Your lover, John.</p><p>Dick opened the package to see another pair of loose fitting pants, although they were made of another material and tighter around his waist, and a piece of jewelry that hung on his shoulders. It had two bright blue pieces of very soft fabric that ran down to his hands. They stayed on with rings.</p><p>After putting it on, he walked throughout the mansion. There was no other way to put it. It was big, and beautiful. It reminded Dick of his mother and father's dream house. He walked towards a set of double doors and opened them.</p><p>Inside was couches galore. On one of them sat a man about Dick's age, looking over paperwork. He was slim, with blond hair and green eyes. He looked up and smiled. "Glad to see you're awake, Dick! Come, sit!" He patted the seat next to him. He sat down, sinking into the soft material.</p><p>"I'm sure you must be confused. I'm John, the one that rescued you from the force. Welcome to Arabia, the mansion. It's your new home, in case you didn't take time to read the note. Feel free to go wherever you want, even the garden! What's mine is yours."</p><p>Dick played with one of the fabric pieces. "Can I still see my family? Or are you the only person I'm going to see?" He asked meekly. "If I end up doing business with your father and he comes here, you are free to talk to him. If anyone comes, you're free to visit them. The only thing I ask is that you stay inside the perimeter." Dick nodded. He'd need time to plan before he could escape.</p><p>John smiled. "I imagine you must be hungry. Come with me, I was about to eat dinner anyway." John grabbed Dick by the hand and hoisted him up. He accidentally pulled a little too much and Dick stumbled into him. He looked up and blushed before standing up. He had to admit, John was kinda cute.</p><p>John grabbed one of Dick's hands and led him to a large table. Dick sat down on the right side of the head of the table before John left to get food. Dick rubbed his arms and shivered. It was a rather cold outfit.</p><p>John came back with two bowls of soup. "Here. I make my food myself. I don't really find much use for servants." Dick smiled a thanks before eating. It was rather good. "So, what was life like as a Blüdhaven police officer?" John asked, an eyebrow raised.</p><p>"It really depended on the day. The busy days, the one with lots of action, those were fun. You get your adrenaline pumping, and you get wild chases, like you see in the movies. Those were my favorite.</p><p>"Then you had your quiet days. The ones where there's not a lot of crime. Those days, we work on files mostly. It gives you time to relax, get caught up before you have a wild day again." Dick explained. John nodded, taking in every word Dick said.</p><p>"C'mon. Now that we're both done, I want to show you something." John pulled Dick up, more gently this time, and led him to a room. "When I thought about the future, I realized you'd need one of these." John smiled as he opened the doors and led Dick in. Dick gasped when he saw what it was, tears coming to his eyes.</p><p>It was a trapeze set. Almost identical to the one he used at Wayne manor. "It's yours. Whenever you want to use it, use it. If you ever need to fly, feel free to come here." John pulled him into a hug. "T-thank you. So much." Dick said, actually meaning it. John was strange, certainly, and had a questionable way of getting him here, but maybe he really did mean well.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>The department was scared. One of the officers in the later shifts had come in to find the whole building asleep. He woke everyone up, the gas long gone. However, so was a certain officer.</p><p>"This is my fault." Amanda whimpered as she held her head in her hands. "It's not your fault. It's no one's. We couldn't have done anything, when if we wanted to. But we're going to find him, Amanda, even if it takes us years. Ok?" The chief said, rubbing her back. She nodded.</p><p>"Ok. His uniform still had that tracker, right?" He asked Amanda. She nodded. "It should." "Then we track it. We find him, and we bring him back." She pulled out her phone and turned on her location app. The tracker was connected to it. When she got the results, she furrowed her eyebrows. "It says he's in Arizona."</p><p>"Then we check it out. Amanda, Brutus, James, Selina, and Tom. We're going to Arizona. Pack your bags." The squad™ left, all going home to pack. Their brother needed them.<br/>➰➰➰ <br/>When Dick woke up again, the clock said it was seven thirty in the morning. He groaned as he sat up, confused as to where he was. However, last night's events came back to him, and he smiled.</p><p>He got up and dressed in a green version of the outfit, but something stuck out. When he realized what it was, he ran out to find John. John was in the living room, and saw Dick looking scared when he came in. "Dick, what happened?"</p><p>"John, why is there a collar on me?" He pleaded, tears in his eyes again. There was a black collar on his neck, and he couldn't get it off. He stood up and ran over to Dick. "This is supposed to be in the animal area." Dick looked up. "What?"</p><p>"The collars act like shock collars. But instead of shocking the animals, it gives them a sense of, 'this is wrong' when they go near the perimeter. Dick, did you go to the animal area last night?" John asked, looking startled. "Yeah. I went over to it to see what was in there, but I don't remember leaving."</p><p>John looked worried. "But how did you get back, then?" "I don't know." Dick buried himself in John's arms. John ran his fingers through Dick's hair, confused as to what was going on. "It's ok, Dick. We'll figure this out, ok? Just breathe." Dick took a few minutes before pulling out of the hug to wipe a few escaped tears.</p><p>"C'mon. Let's go see if we can find the remote for this." John grabbed Dick's hand yet again and led him back to the animals. He opened the cabinet to see a remote missing. "Dammit. It's missing. We need to find it." Dick nodded before walking off. John went in the other direction.</p><p>Dick looked all over, but didn't see a remote. He saw plenty of the animals from last night, but no remote. He even looked under animals, but nothing. When he met with John again, he was shaking.</p><p>"I can't find Zulu, the Great Dane. She's very playful, and could've done this. If I had to guess, she's probably in the mansion. C'mon Dick, chin up. We'll get it off." John walked towards the mansion, Dick tailing.</p><p>It took fifteen minutes before they found Zulu, and another ten before they actually caught her. She knew the mansion like the back of her hand, and Dick still didn't know the layout of this place. John managed to wrestle the remote back from Zulu, who saw it as a tug of war game.</p><p>Dick helped get Zulu back to her pen. It was very big, as all the pens were, and very comfortable. Zulu went in when Dick threw a squeaky toy in. When he came back, John was waiting for him. "Ready to get this thing off?" He asked, holding the remote. Dick nodded, and John pressed a button. The collar fell off, clattering to the floor. Dick rubbed his neck, happy he was free. In a way.</p><p>"Are you alright?" John asked, holding Dick's face in his hands. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." He said, holding John's hand. He looked into John's eyes and blushed. Why was he falling so fast? "Good." John says before he leaned in. Soft lips meet Dick's, and he closed his eyes. Wally had been the only other person to make him feel like this. But Wally was gone, and it was time for Dick to move on. Maybe John was that person.</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. What to do 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The squad™ pulled up in front of the Phoenix police department. They'd agreed to help look for Grayson, who'd been gone two days now. Two officers ran down to meet them, and introduced themselves as Aaron and Conner. They were going to be the main helpers, along with the chief. They led the squad™ to a small office. The Phoenix chief introduced himself, and gave his word that he'd help find their missing officer.</p><p>They'd brought the pictures from the crime scene to their department, hoping they could pull some prints from the photos. Amanda handed it to Aaron, who ran off to give it to their forensic scientist. Hopefully, they'd get something to tell them where their Grayson was.</p><p>And sure enough, they did. "Alright. John Mulaney. He's an eccentric billionaire with a mansion out in the desert. However, if we go, it'll take about five days to get there. He never uses aircraft, so we couldn't fly there. We'd need to take extra fuel if we took a car, so there'll be less space. Then, if anyone is injured, we'll need med-kits. Got it?" The squad™ nodded. It was time to get their brother back.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Dick woke up in a very warm blanket. He opened his eyes to see John behind him, sleeping peacefully. His warm breath went down Dick's neck, bringing a sensation of safety with it. Dick turned so that his chest was touching John's. He could hear John's heart beat.</p><p>Dick stayed like that until John woke up. "You good, babe?" Dick asked, sleepiness lacing his voice. "Yeah. Just a little tired. It's nothing big." John replied as he got up. Dick got out of bed and deciding on a shower. It had been a few days. "Imma get a shower. If you need me, that's where I am." He mumbled as he grabbed a few towels.</p><p>John nodded before yawning. That had been some of the best sleep he'd had in a long time. He was unused to it.</p><p>Dick started the water, waking up slightly when he put this hand under it. It was still a little cold. He turned up the heat before stripping down. He was still a little drowsy.</p><p>When he stepped in, he was enveloped in warm water. He let it run down his body, washing away his sleepiness. He wanted his hair and body before turning it off. He grabbed his towel and rubbed his head, drying his hair. Then, he grabbed another, since John insisted on it, and wrapped it around his waist.</p><p>When he stepped back into the bedroom, he found it empty. John must have gone to work downstairs. Dick pulled on a yellow version of the outfit, finding it a little more comfortable every time he wore it. He walked down the stairs towards the kitchen, intent on a bowl of cereal. John was at the table eating toast.</p><p>"That yellow looks amazing on you, but I still like the bright blue the best." John said as he walked by. "Thanks. You make that black suit pop." Dick was referring to the black suit John always wore. "You never know when someone's going to come by." He replied, a little sass lining his voice.</p><p>Dick grabbed his cereal before sitting next to John, who started rubbing his fingers through Dick's hair. "I love your hair. It's so dark, and it makes your eyes pop." "Yours does as well." Dick loved the way his green eyes stood out from his sandy hair.</p><p>The rest of the day Dick spent with John. He'd often help John with paperwork, or just leaned against him, happy as can be. He knew Blüdhaven would need him, and his family, and the team, but he needed a break. He would always sacrifice everything for them. It was time he thought about himself for once.</p><p>Eventually, John stood up and stretched. "I need a break. I don't normally have this much paperwork. Wanna join me?" John held out his hand. Dick grabbed it and was led to a small section of the garden he'd never explored before. "This is where I come to relax. If I'm swamped, like now, or I'm just bored, I come here."</p><p>John was referring to the swimming pool in front of them. It was smaller, but still big enough for a crowd. There was a diving board, and a slide. "Now come on. I've got swimsuits, and it's time to relax. I know you've probably been worried about Blüdhaven." Dick felt a little guilty when he said that, as he wasn't too worried.</p><p>He changed into the blue trunks at the small hut near the edge of the pool. John came out later with a pair of black ones on. "Do you wear anything besides black?" Dick joked. John nodded. "But only for you." He whispered before grabbing Dick and pulling them both into the pool. Dick came up coughing while John came up laughing. "I hate you." "You love me." "Yes I do." Dick kissed John again.</p><p>Eventually, he and John had to get out again. The paperwork could only be held back so long. Dick offered to take care of some paperwork while John took a shower. "Fine, but if anything is about a change in the company policy, just leave that. I run a metal melting business, and I've had complains about worker behavior." "Will do."</p><p>Dick skimmed over it, sometimes seeing something about behavior, but not much. John came out not long after and too over while Dick went to take another shower. He came out, dressed in the yellow outfit again. They almost fell asleep on the couch, they were so comfortable. Happy to be with one another.</p><p>The next three days, Dick and John worked on paperwork. Dick would take care of finances and sometimes approval for certain meltings while John took care of complains. On the fourth day, there was a knock on the door. John went to answer it while Dick stayed on the couch.</p><p>"Yes?" "John Mulaney?" An unfamiliar voice asked. "Yes, that's me." "We're looking for Dick Grayson. Have you seen him?" Dick looked up and started playing with one of his bright blue fabric pieces again. "Dick? Someone's here to see you!" John called out, but Dick could hear sadness in his voice.</p><p>Dick stood up and walked to the door. "Yes?" "Are you Dick Grayson?" A man in a police uniform stood on the porch. "Yes." "I'm Chief Walker. We've been looking for you for five days. We're here to take you home." Dick became confused. "But I am home."</p><p>The officer looked confused as well. I've got a team of about six officers here saying you were abducted. Is that not true?" Dick rubbed his arm. "I guess. But I don't mind. I'm happy here." One of the cars opened, and Amanda and the chief ran out. They both crushed him in a hug. "There you are! We were worried!"</p><p>Dick stepped back. "Yeah. But I'm fine, so you don't have to worry anymore." It was Amanda and the chief's turn to look confused. "But your coming with us, right?" Dick shook his head. "Look, I loved it in Blüdhaven, but I'm happy here. I finally have time to relax, and I have someone to spend it with." Realization dawned on them. "Chief Walker, could you give us a moment?" He nodded before walking off the stairs.</p><p>"Well? Come in!" Dick led them to the room with the couches and sat down with John on their normal couch. Amanda and the chief sat on the couch opposite them. "So, let me get this straight. In the week you've been here, you've fallen in love with your captor, and have already decided this is where you're going to spend your life?"</p><p>Dick nodded. "Dick, your basically a prisoner!" "If I may," John interrupted, "Dick's not a prisoner. I only asked him to stay within the perimeter. He could leave the second he wanted to. The choice is up to him. I wanted to give him the chance to have something given to him. He's always sacrificing everything for others. I thought he needed time to know what that's like. If he wants to go, I won't stop him. But if he wants to stay, respect his decision."</p><p>"Grayson? It's up to you." All eyes turned to him. "I love the force, I love the job, I really do. But John's made me feel like no one has in a long time. If there's a way we can compromise, live in Blüdhaven but still be together, then I'm all for it. But if not, I'm staying here."</p><p>John nodded. "I have a mansion in the outskirts of Blüdhaven, not too much different from this one. I came here to throw you off. We can move there, and Dick can still work." Dick nodded. "And the animals?" "The animals go where I go. I have a vehicle they go in. It's got enough for all of them to fit and have room to move around." Dick nodded.</p><p>A few days later, and they were officially on the way back. Dick had his uniform, and had plenty versions of the outfit, along with normal clothes for when he had to go out. John had lightened up a little and wore jeans and a t-shirt. They were in John's car, which was a little older. He didn't really care about cars all that much.</p><p>The police had flown back, but Dick was content with driving back with John. He had all the time in the world. He worried about how he was going to tell John about his nightly activities.</p><p>"Hey, Dick?" "Hm?" "When we get back, feel free to go back to being Nightwing." "How did?" "You don't exactly hide your suits the best. You've left them on the floor more times than I can count. I didn't want to say anything, but since we're moving back I decided to tell you."</p><p>Dick relaxed. John knew. It would be ok. It would be almost like all those days. Things would be ok.</p><p>A few more days, and the two were finally moved in to their new house. It didn't have as big of a yard, but he didn't mind. As long as he could be with John.</p><p>One day, Bruce came to visit. He took it surprisingly well, and even offered a joining between Mulaney meltings and Wayne industries. John took it, and Dick couldn't be happier. Tim, Roy, Connor, Artemis and M'gann also took it well. Connor found it a bit strange, but didn't question it. Dick had found someone who made him happy. That was all that mattered.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Depression</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick first noticed it with Amanda. She came in one day, sad as could be. The whole day, he didn't see her smile. Didn't hear her laugh. Didn't find that little spark in her eyes.</p><p>Then it was Brutus. He came in one day, same symptoms. No matter what Dick tried, he wouldn't even grin. Amanda only got worse. Then it was Tom, then Selina, then James, then finally the chief. Nothing.</p><p>Dick decided to look into it. He noticed that their phones GPS had one location in common, besides work: a therapist office called Sharing Symptoms. That was a red flag.</p><p>Dick went out that night to investigate as Nightwing. Something was off with his friends, and this had to be the answer. He snuck in through the vents. Nightwing landed in the psychiatrist's office. Looking around, he saw something that caught his eye. A vase with a very strange flower.</p><p>"Well, what do we have here? Cowl, take image and run it through every known plant data base." Nightwing had a feeling he knew what this plant was, but he had to be certain. Match found: Clarosia, flower known to cause depression and anxiety if ingested or injected. Dick read from his cowl. "Any known cures?" Only one: a petal from the flower is required.</p><p>Nightwing plucked a petal and slipped it into his belt. Before leaving, he decided to look around even more. He found the files on his friends and looked over them. What he found was enough to make his blood boil.</p><p>Amanda Caines: very pathetic. Lives a boring life with no trauma. Is worried too much about a certain Co worker. No name so far. Will have to get other Co workers in here as well. Possible target, but further research is required</p><p>Brutus Zeeks: very stoic. A quiet man, has lost his wife recently. Also cares very much about a CO worker. The same as Amanda. Will have to investigate him. Possible target, but only as a last resort.</p><p>Tom Franks: very annoying. Won't shut up about a girl named Claire. Strangely enough, cares for the same Co worker. Will definitely need to get him in here. No luck on a name yet, but we will get one. Definitely a target.</p><p>Selina Mann: very talkative. Lost a dog recently, and wouldn't shut up about how much of a good boy it was. Cares for the same Co worker. Not a coincidence. Will definitely need a name. Not a likely target, too many know her.</p><p>Carson Wiles: example chief. Wouldn't say a word about his Co workers until we gave him the flower. Finally got a name on the co worker: a Grayson. Don't know if it's a last name or a first name. Definitely not a target.</p><p>Grayson: And that was it. That was all that was on his file. "I need to take them down now." He muttered as he snuck out again. Once at his apartment, he looked closely at the files. There were pictures of each of his friends, and they all looked like they were taken without the knowledge of the people in them.</p><p>Nightwing, now Dick Grayson, began working on the cure. It took a while, but he found the recipe for it. The cure would take a few days to make, but it was time he could afford to lose. He couldn't lose the squad™. They meant too much to him.</p><p>On the fourth day, someone knocked on the door. He put the first syringe down, now filled with the cure. "Coming!" He shouted before walking to the door. He opened it to find the woman who ran the therapists office and a couple men. "Grab him and hold him down." She said. Before he could register, he was slammed into the ground. The men were holding his arms and legs, while someone else held his head down. One of them covered his mouth.</p><p>The woman pulled out a syringe. He struggled, knowing what was in there. One of the men twisted his head to the side, exposing his neck. "Don't worry. It only hurts while the drug is taking effect. That's hours before the depression begins. Hours of agony for you." The woman explained as she stuck it in his neck. He didn't feel anything for a second.</p><p>Then it began. The pain. It felt like fire crawling through his body. He screamed, the pain too much. The men let go, and he curled up. "You have no idea how much it took to get here. I'm going to watch as your friends all kill themselves, and you'll be the only one left." She smirked as he tried to sit up, but failed every time. Every movement was pained. She laughed at his screams.</p><p>"Except we found out about your little charade with the flowers. We found the cure. That's the only reason we were so bad for the few days: we had to make the cure. And you are going to jail right now." The chief said as he stepped into the room, gun in hand. The other members of the squad™ followed him, the depression long gone.</p><p>The woman growled. "You've caught me, but you can't save everyone." She ran over to Dick, who was still writhing on the floor, and placed a gun to his head. "One wrong move, and he's dead. I will not hesitate to blow his brains out." Dick clenched his eyes and curled up further as a new wave of pain passed through him.</p><p>"Get away from him. Right now." Brutus growled at her. "Oh, is this the co worker you all care so much about? I can see why. He's pathetic. He can't even take care of himself." She pressed the barrel into his head, causing him to whimper in pain. A tear slid down his cheek.</p><p>She didn't know the mistake she had made. Every cop saw red when they heard Dick in pain. Every cop knew they were going to pull the trigger the second they saw the tear. Every cop took pleasure in hearing her body thump on the ground.</p><p>Once they all fired, however, the chief ran to Dick. He cracked his eyes open, and tried to say something. "A little louder, Dick." "O-on my desk. There's a syringe. I-it's got the c-cure…in it. I-I was making it…when I found out a-about the flowers." He managed to stammer out. "Alright, just hang on. Brutus, on his desk is a syringe with the cure. Can you grab it?" Brutus nodded before disappearing.</p><p>The chief shifted Dick so that he was leaning against him bridal style. Dick gasped in pain as he was moved. "I know. I know the pain, Dickie. But you gotta stay with us." The chief said as he wiped away the tear. The rest of the squad™ were rounding up the men.</p><p>He went limp in the chief's arms. "Hang on. I'm going to move you to the bed. Try not to scream." The chief said as he picked Dick up. Dick groaned as he felt like he was being ripped apart. But he didn't scream. He'd said he wasn't going to scream.</p><p>The chief laid him down carefully, knowing how the slightest movement could be agony. It hurt, seeing Dick go through the pain he had. Brutus appeared at his side, the syringe in his hand. "This might tingle a little, but it'll help with the pain." The chief instructed as Brutus injected it into Dick's neck. Sure enough, Dick felt the tingling sensation. And where it went, the pain left him. He let out a shaky breath of relief.</p><p>The chief grabbed an extra blanket and put it over Dick. He didn't want to risk causing any unnecessary pain. And he'd forgotten how fast the cure works. "Get some sleep, Dick. We'll clean everything up." Dick felt his eyes dropping. He eventually drifted into the all too familiar darkness. It was somewhat comforting after all these years of seeing it.</p><p>The chief stood up and turned the light off. "Is he ok?" Amanda asked as he closed the door. "Yeah. He's fine. Somehow, probably his nightly activities, he found out about the flowers and that therapist, so he started on a cure. He had a syringe already filled, and he had enough for five other injections. He was making them for us."</p><p>Selina shook her head. "Imagine if he hadn't. He would still be in pain." "He's a smart kid. The only question is how did they get in?" Brutus came over. "No locks have been forced. Windows are still closed, and none of them are broken. Door is in perfect condition." "With all the men, they probably caught him off guard. Overpowered him, then she injected him with the plant stuff." The chief shrugged. "Possibly."</p><p>Amanda was the first one to ask the question. "How are we going to charge this?" "The woman for health fraud, breaking and entering, and assaulting an officer, even though it doesn't really matter. The men for the last two, and the clinic itself for the first one. We've got a witness, and we've got evidence against them. No matter what, they're going down."</p><p>It would have to do. While they weren't happy with the lack of punishment they could give, they were happy that the people who had messed with them were getting something. They'd messed with a lot of overprotective siblings that night. And the mastermind hadn't made it out to tell the tale.</p><p>Dick came into work the next day. The squad™ was back to normal, and he didn't change, except he was a little slower. They all made sure the others were carrying pain reliever and a vial of the cure at all times. The problem was fixed, and the department was happy once again.</p><p>Dick didn't mention he'd read the files, and they didn't mention the fact that he'd had vials ready. There was no need to. Once the trial was over, this whole mess would end. And that was all he needed.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Don't mess with our family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick was glad he'd taught the squad how to fight. Currently, he was laying on the floor, a bullet wound in his stomach. He'd pulled a little girl, maybe seven, out of the way of a drunk's bullet. Now, the little girl was at his side, and the drunk was stalking towards them.</p><p>The man raised his gun again and placed it against Dick's head. "Bye bye, cop." He sneered. What he didn't anticipate was Dick fighting back. His gun was twisted out of his hand, and his leg was kicked out from under him.</p><p>He collapsed, landing beside Dick. Who had the man's gun in his hand. He got to his feet and kicked Dick in the side. He tried not to scream, as it aggravated his stomach.</p><p>The man picked the gun up again and pointed out at Dick, who was seeing black dots. He was about to fire it at the stupid cop who'd messed up his evening when his hand was jerked up. Tom was holding it, looking as mad as a bull. The others, besides James, were behind him, looking exactly the same. Dick smiled, even though it hurt. They were here.</p><p>Tom twisted the gun out of the man's hand once again and punched him in the nose. Not a major aiming point, but it would do some damage. He stumbled back into Amanda, who kneed him in the stomach. All the air was pushed out of his lungs, and he doubled over.</p><p>By this time, the chief and Selina had run over to Dick. The bullet went through, clean shot, but it doesn't mean it didn't hurt like hell. He gritted his teeth when the chief touched it. "Start putting pressure on it. I'm going to get the bandages." Dick watched the chief walk past the fight, only stopping to punch the man in the face before throwing him into the fray again.</p><p>He groaned when Selina put her hands over his wound. "I know. But I have to keep you from bleeding out, at least until we can get you bandaged and to a hospital." She tried to comfort him, but it didn't work. He didn't like hospitals, as it meant something was wrong.</p><p>He looked back towards the fight to see Amanda and Brutus holding the man on the ground while Tom cuffed him. The little girl sat down next to his head. "Hey. You alright?" He asked her, to which she nodded. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." She wiped away a tear.</p><p>The chief came back with the bandages and set them down next to Dick. The trio walked over to them and went to three places: two went to his sides and held his hands while the third went to his head to act as a pillow. Ananda was his pillow this time, with Brutus and Tom slipping their hands into his.</p><p>"Alright. This will hurt. I'm sorry, I can't change that." The chief explained as he started to wrap Dick up. "J-just get it over with." Dick was stammering. Either he was in major pain, out almost passed out. Probably both.</p><p>The chief started the long, painful process of carefully bandaging Dick up. If for some reason his wound was aggravated, he would squeeze Brutus' and Tom's hands. Amanda would run her fingers through his hair at times, unable to do anything else. The small noises of pain he occasionally made hurt her to hear.</p><p>When it was done, Dick just laid there, the pain his worst enemy. Amanda swept his sweaty raven locks from his eyes. The chief put his arms under Dick's knees and arms. "I'm about to pick you up, alright? I know it hurts, but try to keep the screaming to a minimum." He asked. Dick nodded sightly.</p><p>And he kept it in. It felt like his stomach was getting ripped into fifteen different directions, but he held it in. The chief laid him down in the back of Amanda's police car. She sat in the the back with him and propped his head up with her legs. The chief would drive her car, while Tom would drive the chief's back to the department.</p><p>The ride to the hospital was a long one, with Dick's battle against sleep, Amanda helping him, and the chief's silence. Dick was finding it harder to keep his eyes open than ever. And unfortunately, every time Amanda shook him, it hurt. She had to listen to him in pain the entire ride there.</p><p>Once at the hospital, the chief wasted no time. He picked Dick up, accidentally jostling him. He whimpered, trying to keep everything in. The chief ran inside, Amanda on his heels.</p><p>And the doctors didn't waste time either. They knew how protective this squad™ was of their brother. Inside the room, they stitched up the wound, careful not to cause too much pain. Dick grunted every now and then, a stitch catching him off guard. One of them put something in his IV, he saw them, but he assumed it was pain reliever.</p><p>When they had finished and rewrapped the wound, he didn't fight the pull. He went to sleep, the exhaustion catching up to him. They covered him with the blanket and left the room. In the waiting area sat the rest of the squad. They leapt up when they saw the doctors.</p><p>"He'll be fine. It only grazed his stomach, and that will heal in its own, so no need for surgery. We've got him on morphine and an IV, as well as a bag of blood, so he's asleep right now. You can visit him, but no more than eight people at a time." The doctors instructed the squad™. They knew the drill.</p><p>They filed in and took spots around the room. Amanda would sit in the chair, the chief and Selina would lean against the wall, Tom and Brutus would sit in the windowsill, as that was where Dick would always sit for them. At least, until it was time to sleep. Then, he used his freaky little contortionist powers, as Amanda called it, and would fall asleep in the weirdest positions.</p><p>The squad™, no matter how tired, couldn't sleep. Dick would wake up soon, and they had to be awake for him. He was for them, unless he'd been up for so long the doctors drugged him. But he was always there for them anyway.</p><p>He woke up a short while later. He groaned, signaling the squad™. He opened his eyes and immediately regretted it. The hospital was always so bright. He put a hand over his stomach, as it hurt. Majorly. Amanda put hers over his in a sibling way.</p><p>"So, are we going to leapt in the way of bullets anymore?" She asked him sarcastically. "Only if the person being shot at can't get out of the way in time." He mumbled. The chief chuckled. That was Grayson, all right. He'd be just fine.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Surprise party</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The chief had everything planned out. He would need helpers, but he could do it. Grayson's birthday was coming up, and he wanted to throw a surprise party. He had called the squad™ in to his office to get everything organized.</p><p>"Alright, before we start, Grayson cannot know about this. It's a secret." The squad™ leaned in. What was so important Grayson couldn't know? "Grayson's birthday is coming up, and I want to throw a surprise party for him. I'll need two on food, two on decorations, and I'll need the last one to help me call his friends."</p><p>The squad™ was excited. Grayson did so much for them, that it was rare they got a chance to pay him back. "Selina and I can do decorations." Amanda said, linking their arms. Selina agreed. "Alright. Tom and I can take care of food." Brutus said. "I'm fine with calling his friends." James said.</p><p>And for the next week, they said nothing about it. Amanda and Selina bought food and stored it in a locked cabinet. They got everything from cake to pie.</p><p>Brutus and Tom had to decide what they wanted first. They knew Grayson loved blue, but didn't know if they wanted to have just blue, or if they wanted to pair it with something. Tom decided on pairing it with black, like his Nightwing suit. After that, they went to three different stores, because the stuff they needed was scattered all over the place.</p><p>The chief and James worked on calls. That was fun, especially when it came to Bruce Wayne, his father. The chief decided to take care of that one.</p><p>"Hello? Wayne Manor." That was Alfred. "Sir, this is chief Carson of the Blüdhaven police department." "One moment, sir." A short while later, and a very exasperated Bruce answered. "Which child of mine do you have, and what did they do?" "Sir, this call isn't about that. Your son Dick Grayson has his birthday coming up, and we wanted to give him a surprise party. We were calling to invite you." Bruce sighed. "Thank goodness. Yes, I'll be there. When and where?" "Thursday afternoon, about three o'clock. Blüdhaven police department."</p><p>Dick honestly had no idea. He'd forgotten his birthday was even coming up. Between Blüdhaven and the team, he rarely slept. And that was when it was a calm day on the force. He yawned as he worked on files. He needed a nap.</p><p>Thursday came on quicker than they expected. While Dick was out on patrol, the squad™ and a few extra people worked on setting the party up. They had filled the work room with black and blue streamers, as well as balloons. They'd bought a blue cake, and presents, all in blue wrapping paper, were stacked in a corner.</p><p>When Dick came back, all he had wanted was a nap. Imagine his surprise when all the lights are out. He pulled out his gun and held it at his side. He peeked around the door frame to see... party supplies? He walked in, clipping his gun to his belt again. The lights were turned on, and a huge, "surprise!" was shouted at him.</p><p>He looked around to see a black and blue birthday party set up. His family, from Gotham and Blüdhaven alike, stood around the room. A cake sat on a table, the words happy birthday iced onto it. Brutus led him to the table, where everyone had converged.</p><p>They sang happy birthday, to which he responding by hiding his head in his hands, and the chief started lighting candles. He laughed in embarrassment before blowing them out. The room clapped.</p><p>His lack of sleep now forgotten, Dick enjoyed the party. The food was delicious, and the cops were genuinely happy to have him with them. He opened presents, which was mostly gag gifts. He laughed at each one of them. However, the squad™ seemed to have put some effort into theirs.</p><p>Amanda gave him an electronic picture frame. Brutus and Tom had teamed up to give him the battery. James and Selina gave him the hard drive. And the chief projected what was on the drive on the wall. It was pictures of the squad and the force with their favorite little brother. There were pictures with them hanging out, whether it was on or off the job. They always managed to catch him smiling.</p><p>Dick put it at his desk. What better way to see them than at work? He smiled, the exhaustion catching up on him. The party was dying down, so maybe he could take a small nap. Dick laid his head down on his desk and fell asleep quickly.</p><p>When the party was over, and the group of people left were cleaning up, one of the squad™ members found Dick asleep. They took a picture before covering him with his jacket. That was an adorable sight. They only woke him up when it was time to go home.</p><p>Once at his apartment, he collapsed on the bed. Maybe he could take one night off. As he was drifting off, he heard the lock click on his door, and footsteps entering his apartment. "Dick?" A small voice called out. It was only Bruce. Dick's father figure walked in to see him drifting off into sleep.</p><p>He smiled, this being one of the rare moments where he got to be a father to Dick. Bruce grabbed an extra blanket and draped it over the sleeping man. Bruce ruffled his head before turning off the light. "Happy birthday, son." Bruce whispered as he closed the door.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Brothers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick didn't know what to expect when he saw Jason and Damian bring dragged in, with cuffs on their wrists. Tim walked behind them, no cuffs in sight. Dick walked up to Tim while Jason and Damian were put in a cell. Tim noticed him, and sheepishly grinned.</p><p>"Hey, Dickie." "Don't hey me. What happened this time?" "Before I start, know that they dragged me along. I would've been fine at home. Well, Jason had gotten a little drunk, and you know how that is. Then, Damian saw a homeless man and his dog, and yelled at him for not taking care of the dog. Turns out, the man was a undercover cop. He arrested Jason for drunk driving, and Damian for assaulting an officer." Dick sighed. "Bruce is going to kill me."</p><p>"Yo, Goldie! Ya gonna let us out or what?" Jason's voice rang through the office. "Why did he call you Goldie?" Amanda asked. "You never told them about us? I'm shocked! Dickie, how could you never tell them about us?" Jason slurred.</p><p>"You know them?" The chief raised an eyebrow. Dick covered his face with his hands and groaned. "They're my brothers." He mumbled through his hands.</p><p>Amanda felt bad for him. It was bad enough to have siblings, as she knew how they loved to drop in on your life. But his, he saw whenever they got arrested. Which, judging by his reaction, was often.</p><p>"They're your what?" Tom exclaimed. "They're my brothers, and they're the problem children of the family besides this one. This is Tim. He's the second youngest. The drunk is Jason, and he's the second oldest. The tiny one is Damian, and he's the youngest. And they're the cause of my headache." Dick rubbed his temples.</p><p>Tim blushed. "Sorry, Dickie. Didn't mean to drag you into this." "It's fine, Tim." Dick rubbed Tim's head. "Grayson! Let us out at once!" Damian demanded. "No. I'm going to let Bruce know, and he can pick you up." Dick said as he walked off. Amanda and Tim followed, knowing that Dick would need help to get Bruce to listen.</p><p>Dick dialed the familiar number and waited for Bruce to pick up. Today was not his day. "This is Bruce." "Bruce. This is Dick. Jason and Damian are under arrest here at the Blüdhaven police department. You can bail them, or they can go to their respective prisons." Dick informed him, annoyance lacing his voice. "I'm on my way."</p><p>Amanda and Tim were surprised. Normally, Bruce needed many reasons to free those two. Dick put the phone down and sighed again. "He's in a good mood. Wish I could say the same." He groaned as he put his head down. Amanda started rubbing circles in his back. "It'll be alright."</p><p>When Bruce arrived, he walked up to Dick. "Sorry about that. I had grounded them, and they snuck out." "It's fine. By the way, Tim's innocent. Got dragged along for the ride." Bruce nodded. "I figured. This doesn't seem like his thing." Tim had gone to the car already. Bruce signed the papers and paid the bail, and the two criminals were released.</p><p>"Finally!" Jason said as he stretched. "Why didn't you let us out Goldie?" "Because you landed yourselves in here. It's not my fault you acted like idiots and got arrested. I was willing to let you sit in there and suffer. Thank Bruce." Dick said before walking away. He needed a nap.</p><p>Jason and Damian followed Bruce to the car. They were probably going to get a lecture. As soon as he started talking, they knew it was something different while being a lecture.</p><p>"Why did you bother Dick?" The duo looked at each other in confusion. "Yes, Jason, you're drunk, but you got drunk in Blüdhaven. And Damian, you allowed the officer to arrest you. So I'll repeat my question: why did you bother Dick?"</p><p>Jason started picking at his t-shirt. Damian was the one who answered. "He never comes to the manor. Never calls. He's just in and out. So, we paid him a visit." "And humiliated him in front of the department." Damian looked down.</p><p>"I know you two are just being brothers, but Dick is fine. He's just tired. Between running the team, being a cop and Nightwing, all at the same time, he doesn't sleep often. It doesn't help that he has insomnia. So lay off."</p><p>The ride was silent the rest of the way home. Tim had gotten on his phone and was working on files with Dick. How? He hacked into Dick's account and decided to help him. Jason and Damian were silent because they felt guilty. They'd had no idea Dick barely slept. And Bruce was silent because there wasn't much to say.</p><p>However, the department was anything but silent. They kept asking Dick questions about his brothers. And he would always answer as truthfully as possible, unless it came to revealing their secret identities. The squad™ knew he would tell them later. After about an hour, the chief decided to help him.</p><p>"Alright, that's enough. He's had enough questions for one day. And if you're crowding him, how are you working?" The department ran back to their desks while Dick shot the chief a tired smile. "Thanks." "No problem, Dick. But I expect answers later." "Sure thing. After a nap." "Alright. We'll wait."</p><p>At home, Dick took off his uniform, changing into a t-shirt and sweatpants. He flopped onto the bed and buried his head into the pillow. Slowly but surely, his eyes began to close, and he got his first bit of good sleep. In fact, he was still asleep when the chief came over three hours later.</p><p>The chief had come to get answers, like Dick promised, when he noticed the strange sight. How much did Grayson actually sleep? Although he didn't want to, the chief shook Dick awake. Dick looked up at him with an expression of pure exhaustion. "I know. You probably don't sleep often, but you said you'd answer some questions. You don't have to change anything if you want, but we'd like to know who they are."</p><p>Dick sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Alright. Which one?" He whispered, the lack of sleep evident in his voice. "Start with the drunk, Jason." "Well, like I said, he's the second oldest. He was the second Robin, and Bruce's first adopted child. I was his foster child. He died, thanks to the Joker, but was resurrected by the Lazarus pit. He's currently the Red Hood, and a pain in my butt.</p><p>"Next is Tim, or Timmy. He's the third Robin, currently Red Robin. He's pretty chill compared to those two. He lost his father after he became Robin. He's a major computer geek, and sometimes we have to actually make sure he sleeps. He's lucky." "How come?" "The second he steps away from the computer, he's asleep. Meanwhile, it takes me four hours, fifteen million positions, and a sacrifice to God himself." The chief just rolled his eyes.</p><p>"The last is Damian. He's Bruce's biological son with Talia Al Ghoul. Believes that because he's the blood son, that makes him the best. He doesn't know I'm a gypsy, so please don't tell him. He hates Gypsies. Anyway, he's Robin, and he's a huge animal fanatic. Can I go back to sleep now?" Dick pleaded.</p><p>"You've gotta eat first. Got anything in your cabinets?" The chief pulled Dick up. "Probably just cereal." "That's better than nothing." Dick just sorta stumbled along. He didn't care if he ate or not, he just wanted to sleep.</p><p>He sat down at the breakfast bar. His head was spinning. "You ok, Dick?" The chief asked when he noticed Dick holding his head. "My head's spinning." "Just eat this, then I promise you can go back to sleep." The chief set a half filled bowl in front of Dick. He knew Dick probably want going to eat much. "Thanks. Really."</p><p>After managing to down the bowl, Dick stood up. Only to see black dots. He held his head and groaned. "I know that's not normal. How long has it been since you slept?" The chief said as he slid one of Dick's arms around his shoulders. "Two, three days?" That was honestly guess work. He had no idea.</p><p>"C'mon, let's get you to bed. If your brothers come by, I'll tell them you're not feeling the best." The chief said as he helped Dick to the bedroom. "You can just tell them I haven't been sleeping well." Dick managed to get out. He passed out as soon as he laid down. The chief put another blanket on him. "Poor kid." He muttered to himself as he saw how bad Dick's under eyes were.</p><p>At the manor, Jason and Damian were trying to find a way to apologize to Dick without actually leaving. "We could video chat with him." Jason suggested. "It's unlikely he's awake, if he sleeps as rarely as Father said he does. I say we film an apology, and text it to him." Damian said. "Ya know, demon, that's not a bad idea. Let's do that." Jason said as he grabbed a camera.</p><p>It took a while for them to get it filmed. Jason would say something, and Damian would correct him. Then, they had to delete the footage and start over again. After about two hours, they finally got a video that pleased them both.</p><p>When Dick woke up, at about six in the morning, he noticed his phone has a message from the trouble duo. That was strange enough. What was even stranger was that it was a video. He wondered how long it must've taken them to film it before pressing play.</p><p>Jason and Damian popped up. "Hey, Dickie. Sorry about the department thing yesterday, or however long ago it was when you see this. Anyway, this video is an apology for embarrassing you in front of the force. Didn't mean to."</p><p>"What Todd is trying to say, and failing, is that we were missing you. You never come over, and the only time we really see you is night. The getting arrested part was Todd's idea. So, we're sorry. I'm sorry. We didn't know how many people had no idea we were brothers." "See ya later, Dickie." Jason said as he reached for the camera.</p><p>Dick smiled before putting the phone down. They really did care. And thankfully, that visit wasn't a prank. However, it was going to cause a lot of questions for him. He'd have to thank them for that later.</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Pushed away</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"No!" Amanda shouted as Dick was forced back. Something had gone wrong on the last mission, and Dick had pointed ears and a tail. The public hadn't taken it well. Currently, they'd cornered him in an alley and were holding Amanda back.</p><p>Dick's expression was full of fear. He'd felt bad enough that he'd turned into this thing, and now the people were after him. No matter what he did or had done, they kept coming. All of them had at least a knife, and half the group has guns. He was outnumbered, and had no escape. Not even a fire escape.</p><p>Amanda was getting desperate when one of the men pulled out a gun. A couple others rushed forward and overpowered him. His gun was taken from him, and his arms were forced behind his back. The man put the gun up to his head. "Stop it!" Amanda shouted, hoping to put the attention on herself</p><p>Dick shut his eyes, bracing himself for the shot that never came. He opened it to see the chief holding his gun to the man's head. "Pull that trigger, and I'll do the same." The man put his hands up in an, 'I surrender' motion. But the men holding Dick didn't.</p><p>"Let him go. We've got you surrounded." The chief said, turning his gun towards them. The original threatener had backed off. "Why? He's a freak that'll never fit in. We'll just end the pain." One of the men pulled out his knife and put it against Dick's neck. The cool metal pressed against the skin.</p><p>"We've analysed the blast that changed him. It's only temporary. You end his life, you're killing an innocent man. Besides, have you forgotten all he's done for you? All the pain he's taken, all the times he's been to the hospital because he was protecting you? Does that really mean nothing to you?"</p><p>The men, not including the one holding a knife to Dick's neck, looked at each other. What had changed, besides his appearance? "How do we know he won't hurt us? What is it isn't just his appearance that's changed? What if his instincts have changed as well, and now we're just prey? I'm not willing to take that chance." He pressed harder, causing a small stream of blood to flow.</p><p>"You're basing murder on something that might not be true. Look at him. He hasn't made a move against you. Even with you pointing your weapons at him, even though he's had multiple chances, he's never even tried. He could've. Hell, he could've killed you. But he didn't. He let you threaten him, because he knows if he fights back, he's going to be hunted even more. When he changes back, he'd still be an outcast. So let him go, and we'll take care of him."</p><p>The other men let go immediately. But the man with the knife held on. "You've got five seconds. Let him go, or I shoot." The man smiled. "Then do it." He raised the knife upward to stab Dick. True to his word, the chief shot. And the man crumpled to the ground, blood pouring out of his forehead. Dick stumbled forward, and the chief hugged him. "It's ok, Dick. He's gone."</p><p>The crowd released Amanda and ran off. She took off towards the duo, who were walking out of the alley. The chief seemed to be leading Grayson along. When she reached them, she nearly crushed them in a hug. "I'm so sorry I let them get that close." She whispered. "It's fine. Besides my neck, I'm not hurt. And it'll heal really quickly."</p><p>"C'mon, let's go to the station. You've only got two days left, and I'm not taking any chances." "Of me hurting someone?" "No. Of them hurting you." That surprised him. After the man's comment, he'd started worrying about what actually would happen if he hurt someone. If he let his instincts take control. "If you're worried you're going to hurt someone, don't. Like I said, you could've beat their asses at any time. But you didn't. You showed restraint. That's good enough for me." The chief said, seemingly reading his mind.</p><p>At the station, Amanda grabbed the med-kit and carried it to the chief's office. Dick sat down on one of the chairs, and the chief began bandaging his neck. While he was doing that, Dick played with his thin, wire like tail. He kept wrapping and unwrapping it around his arm. Amanda noticed, and held her arm out. Dick knew what she wanted, and he started wrapping and unwrapping around her arm.</p><p>"Feels weird, but a good weird. I don't see why they hate this." Amanda said as the tail tickled her. "It's cause I'm different." "Only for now. Two days and you're back to normal. And Dick? Don't let them get to you. You've never hurt someone unless someone was in danger. You've never just attacked someone. They don't know that, so their words mean nothing. We're all here, and I for one don't give a Flying Grayson about what they say." Dick giggled at the chief's joke. "Now get some sleep. I still expect at least two files finished tomorrow." The chief patted Dick's leg.</p><p>Using a few spare blankets, Dick fashioned a small bed. Even though it was thin, he slept like a baby. He didn't have to worry about the people getting him, as the department was locked up. He only had two more days like this, and then he was back to normal. Plus, the fear from earlier had taken some of his energy. He didn't normally get that scared.</p><p>When the chief came in the next morning, Dick was still asleep. He sighed. Dick really needed to sleep more. Maybe he'd give the kid a day off, and just let him sleep. The chief knew it was hard, being a hero and having a day job. Not to mention Dick had a team, as well as a city, to watch over. That alone would exhaust him. Then, somehow, Dick dragged himself to work and managed to stay awake. And that was even with injuries.</p><p>After about an hour, and fifteen minutes before Dick was set to clock in, the chief decided to wake him up. Gently shaking him awake, the chief muttered, "C'mon, Dick. You've got fifteen minutes before you clock in, and I want you to get at least a few sips of coffee down." Dick groaned and sat up. Rubbing his face, he mumbled something unintelligible. "What?" "Do I have to go out into the workspace, or can I just access my account from here?" "You can work in here. Just actually work."</p><p>Dick stretched. He didn't normally sleep that long. He downed an entire cup of coffee before grabbing his laptop from the locker room. Luckily, nobody was in there. He made his way back to the chief's office as quickly as he could. He sat in the corner, sitting on the blankets.</p><p>He made it to two hours before the chief was called to a shoot out. "Don't let anyone but the squad™ in. I'm going to be right back. And don't worry. Today and tomorrow. That's it." He told Dick as he strapped his gun to his belt. Dick nodded. When the chief left, he started playing with his tail again. He was still scared someone was going to come in and see him. Someone was going to tell the crowds, and this time, there would be no one to save him.</p><p>Dick shook his head. Why was he thinking like that? There was no reason to think like that! The attack most have rattled me up more than I realized. Dick thought to himself. Maybe it was just what the man said.</p><p>But he could be right. You could lose control. How long before someone gets hurt? A little voice whispered. Dick covered his ears with his hands. "Shut up, shut up, shut up." He whispered, wrapping his tail around him. Why? Scared it might be true? Scared you really are a freak? A monster?" "No. No, that's not true. I'm not a monster. I'm not a freak. I'm not going to hurt anyone. I'm not going to lose control." He whispered to himself. It had to be true. It had to.</p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Pushed away 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The chief was on his way back when his phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, he saw it was Star Labs, the group that had analyzed the blast. "This is Chief Carson." "Chief! Is Dick with you?" The person sounded worried.</p><p>"No, he's currently at my office. Why?" "We took another look at the blast. Not only does it change their appearance, but it creates a voice in their head. It's a suicidal voice. You've got to get back to him before he does anything." The chief ended the call and sped up. Dick had some will, but even he couldn't last forever.</p><p>He speed walked through the department, trying to keep suspicion down. When he reached his office and closed the door, however, he wasted no time. Dick was curled up in the corner, holding his head as if in pain and shaking. His tail was wrapped so tightly around his arm that it was going to create marks. He kept whispering and shaking his head.</p><p>The chief ran over and pulled Dick into a hug. "It's ok, Dick. I'm here." Dick looked up and removed his hands. "Why am I thinking like this? All my thoughts just seem to be depressed now." He burrowed into the chief. "It's the blast, Dick. It creates a suicidal voice in your head. Besides your arm, did you hurt yourself?" Dick shook his head.</p><p>"Alright. Hey, it's ok. Just calm down. I'm here. I'm not going to let you hurt yourself. Today and tomorrow, then that voice is gone. You won't ever have to listen to it again." The chief said, not knowing what else to do. "But what if it's right? What if, one of these two days, I lose complete control and start hurting someone? What do I do then?" Dick begged.</p><p>"We solve it. And you won't hurt anyone. You wouldn't hurt a fly if it wasn't bothering anybody. I don't care what that man or that voice is saying or said. You can control it, and you're not going to hurt someone. Trust me." The chief rubbed his back.</p><p>Dick stopped shaking after a while, and relaxed. The chief was right. Why would he hurt someone? *Because you lose control. Because the chief is wrong and you can't control it. Because the man and I are right. You can't do it.* "Shut up, shut up." Dick whispered. The chief didn't feel hurt, as he knew Dick was probably trying to talk to the voice. "Ignore it, Dick. It means nothing."</p><p>Eventually, Dick went back to working on his files. The chief sat down at the desk and began working, occasionally glancing over at Dick. He'd removed his tail, and the chief could see the marks. They'd be there for a few days. "Hey, Dick?" "Yeah?" Dick looked up at the chief. "Why don't we bandage that arm? Just so it doesn't get infected." The chief said as he pulled out a med kit. Dick held out his arm.</p><p>The chief pulled out the bandages and wrapped them around Dick's arm. Dick typed with one hand while the chief did that. He was finished with one file, and had started working on the next. It was the file for a case that had involved a drug dealer.</p><p>Once the chief was done, Dick went back to typing with two hands. The little voice chimed in here and there, saying he was going to lose control, and that he was a freak and a monster. It didn't bother him as much anymore. Until it came up with something new.</p><p>*I wonder why the chief chose to protect a gypsy?* Dick froze, hands over the keys. *I mean, a gypsy that can't protect himself. He's saved your sorry ass more times than you can count.* "Shut up." Dick grabbed his head. The chief noticed and knelt down to him. "Hey, don't listen to it." *See? He's doing it right now. But he's saving you from yourself. He's trying to save you from something you've always known.*</p><p>"I said shut up!" Dick said, raising his voice a little. The chief didn't know what to do. Dick was facing something completely new. "Just go away. Not you, chief." Dick muttered. Why? So you can get on with your sorry life? Why don't you just end it? "No, no, no." Tears were coming to his eyes. He couldn't do that.</p><p>Why not? You've been "dead" before. Why can't you be dead for real? "They need me." No, you need them. You need them to remind you that you have a purpose. They've never needed you. They could've had Jason, or Tim, or even Damian, and have made it. You're not special. "Please, just shut up." "Ignore it. Whatever it's saying, it's wrong. It doesn't matter." "It's too loud. It's like an explosion in my mind." Dick curled his tail around his arm again, a comfort in his torment.</p><p>"Would music help? Some other sound?" "I-I don't know. Maybe. I've never dealt with this before." Dick said, wincing when the voice started yelling again. The chief put on some 80's rock, knowing Dick loved it.</p><p>*You see? He knows so much about you from all the times you've forced him to accompany you to the hospital.* "Except I never forced him." Dick muttered, quiet enough so the chief didn't hear what he said. Or so he thought. The chief wouldn't admit it, but he heard every word Dick said. He got weird snippets of conversations, but nothing more. It was a one sided conversation.</p><p>The music helped, but it didn't completely expell the voice. It still whispered in his ear, but it was more strained. As if it was struggling to get over the music.</p><p>The day carried on like that, with the voice whispering, and Dick and the chief working. When it came time to sleep, Dick got a little scared. What if the voice took control while he was asleep? "Don't worry. I'll lock the door so you can't get out, if you want." The chief offered. Dick nodded. It would keep him in long enough for someone to realize something was wrong. *It's called you're still alive.*</p><p>The chief left, and Dick heard a lock click in place. He curled up on the blankets and felt the tears come to his eyes. This is what he been reduced to: a cop who didn't even trust himself. He didn't hold them back. They flowed freely, Dick not caring anymore. He was hated. He wasn't going to be accepted again. *Glad to see you're finally listening to me.*</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Pushed away 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When the chief walked in, he knew it was bad. Dick had tears in his eyes and running down his cheeks. He was curled up shaking, his face as pale as a ghost. The blankets were everywhere, kicked away. His tail was so tightly wound around his arm that it was bleeding.</p><p>He set down his stuff and sat down next to Dick. He seemed to know the chief was there, but he didn't respond. The chief pulled Dick onto his lap and started hugging him. "It's ok, Dick. I'm here, and I'm sorry. I should've taken you with me, or stayed here. I'm so sorry." Dick started shaking more, and buried his head in the chief's shoulder.</p><p>"Am I really that bad?" "As bad as what?" "Are Gypsies bad? I've been one all my life, but I've never stopped to consider how people use it. Now that I have, the only time someone's used it is as an insult. So am I really that bad?"</p><p>"No! God no, Dick. You're not bad. Hell, you're better than some of us. Never think you're bad, because you're not. Ok?" He lies to try and comfort you. "And if that little voice is saying anything, you tell it to bug off, cause it doesn't matter. Just one more day, Dick. One more day, and it's gone. It's going to go away, but I need you to stay strong. If not for you, then for me. For us. Amanda, Selina, Brutus, James, Tom, all of us. We need you, Dickie. We really do."</p><p>Dick laid against the chief's chest, pondering what he meant. Even the little voice was silent. "Just a little bit longer. Hang on for just a little bit longer." That was all it was: a little bit longer. A little bit longer, and that voice would go away. He just needed to hold out for a little bit longer.</p><p>Dick didn't manage to get a lot of work done that day. His head was killing him, from the voice screaming at him all night. Looking at the screen made his eyes hurt as well. He was exhausted, as he didn't sleep last night. His arm hurt from where his tail had injured it, both yesterday and last night. Last night, however, he actually cut into the skin.</p><p>He didn't eat much either. His appetite has shrunk, and that worried the chief. Grayson hadn't eaten since he's transformed, no matter how much they tried. He pushed it away. "If I eat, I'm going to throw up." He'd always tell the person trying to get him to eat. The most he could do was a granola bar, and that felt like a rock in his stomach.</p><p>He realized he was probably destroying himself with this behavior, but he couldn't stop. The voice came when he slept. He had no appetite. It was pain every time he tried to work. He just couldn't do it. But he could hold out. He could do that while the voice tried to get him to stop. While it tried to get him to kill himself. I'm already in the process of that now, he thought grimly to himself.</p><p>He's gotten shot about five in the evening. It was currently noon, so about five hours. That's when the voice really started trying</p><p>*No good gypsy. That's what they all said. That's the truth: you're no good. You have to sit in here, hiding yourself from the world while others are actually working. You're pathetic.* "Shut up." *Why? So you can convince yourself everything is alright? That you're going to be normal if you can just hold out? That you're going to be able to jump right back in to society? Cause that ain't gonna happen.*</p><p>"I said shut up!" Dick started raising his voice again. *Oh, got a temper, now, do we?  Maybe it's because you know I'm right. Maybe you know you won't be able to go back. You'll be an outcast wherever you go. The team, the league, even the cops. You don't belong, Dick Grayson, and you never will.*</p><p>Dick shook his head, trying to ignore the little annoying voice. *But you don't want to accept that, do you? You want to believe you live in a perfect little world where you fit in. Where you actually have friends. I'll break it to you: you don't. No one cares for you. No one has, and no one ever will.*</p><p>*Bruce only picked you up from that circus floor because he felt pity. Alfred has always had to follow Bruce's orders, so he's faked caring for you. Your brothers don't care at all. Wally only started acting like he loved you because he knew you would be worthless without it. They all use you, and that's all you'll ever be: a tool. Something for people to use.*</p><p>"But some people care for their tools. Take care of it, use it wisely. Some even fall in love with their tools. What you call me means nothing." *But it does. Your whole life, all you've ever wanted was to be loved, and to have people's approval. You've lost their love, all you have is their approval. How many times have they tried to intervene? How many times have they tried to stop you? Do you really think they care?*</p><p>"Just go away already." "Only a few more hours, Dick. Just a little while longer." The chief reminded Dick. *A few more hours of me. I wonder what all I can break? Maybe your self worth? Maybe even your will to live? A few hours can be an eternity to the right person.* "You can't do anything to me." *No? I've done something already. Just have to prod that wound, get it to open further. That's all I have to do, and you're done.* "You can't do anything to me anymore. The wounds have already closed." Dick growled.</p><p>And so the voice tried. It tried to break Dick, it tried to tear him into pieces. But Dick didn't care anymore. He could hear the voice panicking, knowing it was out of time. Knowing that soon, it was going to be gone. It wouldn't matter anymore.</p><p>About four o'clock, a pain started growing in Dick's stomach. He doubled over, knowing it was about to get worse. The chief knelt down once again and waited for the transformation to complete. Slowly, the pain spread to Dick's ears and lower back. He leaned against the chief, just wanting the comfort.</p><p>Suddenly, the dull pain turned into fire and knives. It ate away at him, taunting him, trying to make him scream. It didn't work. He never screamed. He never let the taunting get to him. He was stronger than they were.</p><p>When the pain ended, he sat up slowly. He didn't feel his tail anymore. When he reached for his ears, he found normal, round ears. He was normal once again. The chief nearly choked him in a hug. "I knew you could do it."</p><p>Dick left for his apartment that evening. It felt good to be able to go out on the streets again. He recognized some people from the riot, but they didn't do anything. It seemed his transformation had just scared them. Once changed, he left for the streets. The city needed him. No matter what that voice had said, Blüdhaven needed him.</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Donuts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick yawned as he dragged himself into the office. He'd had a late night. He made it to his desk before dropping his stuff and laying his head down. He needed more sleep. And that was when Amanda walked up with something worth it's weight in gold.</p><p>"Donut?" She held one out in front of her. Donuts were Grayson's wake up call, as well as coffee and cereal. His eyes snapped open. Amanda placed the donut is his hand. He mumbled a thank you before shoving it in his mouth.</p><p>"I will never understand how you manage to keep that body with all those donuts." Amanda said. Dick shrugged. "I don't care. I can look good and eat donuts. Besides, donuts are delicious." "Amen to that." Donuts were pretty much sacred in the office.</p><p>"Anyway, the chief wants to talk to us. He's got another box in his office." Dick stood up. "What are we waiting for?" Amanda rolled her eyes and followed her now awake brother to the chief's office. They were about to run out of donuts.</p><p>In the office, the rest of the squad stood waiting. They were surrounding a donut box. They looked up and saw the two enter. "Grab your last donut! We're about to go out." The chief joked as he grabbed another one. "Haha. Very funny. You try going two days without sleep." Dick grumbled as he grabbed two. He rung one on his finger and started eating the other.</p><p>"I know, it's just you eat those things all the time. I'm surprised you aren't sick." "I went through several winters in Gotham in shorts. This is nothing." Dick said, his mouth full of donut.</p><p>"Anyway, onto business. Gotham PD had asked for our help in catching one of their criminals who came here." "Which one?" Amanda asked. "Joker."</p><p>Dick choked on his donut. "You ok, Grayson?" Brutus asked while he was coughing. "Yeah. Just had bad experiences with this creep." Dick said, clearing his throat. "I would think so. That's why I want you as my backup. You'll spend most of your time in the department, but you'll be on alert." The chief explained. "Ok, but I've dealt with him. Like yeah, bad experiences, but you've had none. Zip. Zilch. None. Nein."</p><p>The chief rolled his eyes. "I think those donuts are getting to you." "I'm fine. Just know, if he says he wants to play, get the hell out of there." "Will do."</p><p>The squad™ left to go track down the mad clown while Dick went back to his desk. He hacked into the Gotham PD files and looked for information on Joker. He'd escaped three days ago, and had been seen heading towards Blüdhaven. Nothing to say he was actually in Blüdhaven</p><p>Dick was finding it weird that Gotham would ask for help instead of just sending Batman. That was when Commissioner Gordon walked in. "Hey, Gordon. Donut?" Dick offered him the one that had been hung on his finger. "Thanks. Your chief in?" Dick shook his head. "Went out to answer your call for help." Gordon looked confused. "What call?" "You asked for help with the Joker?" "That's what this visit is about."</p><p>Dick cursed under his breath. "It's a trap. I'm going out. I'll tell him you came." Dick said as he strapped his gun to his thigh. "Wait. I'm coming with you." "You sure? This is Blüdhaven, not Gotham." "Positive. If that clown is putting cops in danger, then it's our job to get them out." Gordon said as he ruffled Dick's hair. "Well? Let's go, then!"</p><p>They drove around for about ten minutes when they noticed three police cars parked outside a warehouse. "That's gotta be it. They're the only ones out right now." Dick said as he turned off the car. They leapt out and crept towards the entrance. Dick noticed a sky light and motioned that he was going up. Gordon nodded and headed for the door.</p><p>Dick made his way to the sky light and looked in. The six cops were unconscious, and strapped to chairs. The Joker sat in front of them, waiting for them to wake up. Dick motioned for Gordon to go in. The doors slammed open, and Gordon yelled for the Joker to give himself up.</p><p>"Finally! Do you know how long I've been waiting for some new toys?" The Joker smiled as he pulled a knife. Dick growled. "Now, I've heard rumors of a rookie that does better than half the department! You know him?" "Yeah, but I'm not giving him up."</p><p>"Oh, you don't have to! He's going to come if his own accord." "And how are you sure about that?" "Because I have his friends. And he'll figure out that the call wasn't real. I called them and got them here." Dick started aiming.</p><p>"I wouldn't count on it. I've told him not to come." "And I've heard he doesn't always follow orders. He's going to come anyway." Dick took a breath, and shot.</p><p>Joker went down, clutching his leg. Dick leapt down, rolling to avoid damage. "I'm here." The squad™ started waking up. They noticed Dick standing in front of Joker, who was on the ground. "I've said it once, and I'll say it again. You never cease to amaze me." Selina said. Dick chuckled.</p><p>He cuffed Joker before walking over and freeing the squad™. They rubbed their wrists, the ropes having been very tight. "So. Donuts to celebrate?" Dick asked. Amanda screeched. "I swear, you and those donuts are going to kill me!" Dick laughed. "So that's a yes?" The chief nodded.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Done?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick was nervous. The department had gotten too big, according to some lawyer, and the city was doing a simulation. If a cop failed, they were off the force. And the person doing it hated him.</p><p>Brandon Stiles was his name. He'd been one of Dick's bullies during middle School, and apparently hadn't gotten over his grudge. Dick was still terrified Stiles was going to hurt him again.</p><p>On the day of the simulation, the squad™ noticed how he was acting. He rarely said anything, and always left when he saw something. He never said what. That definitely wasn't Grayson behavior.</p><p>"Grayson, meet me in my office really quickly." The chief sighed. Dick went with him and sat down. "Dick, what's going on? Is it the simulation?" Dick nodded. "That, and the guy running the simulation. He's another of my middle School bullies. And the fact that he's doing separate simulations has me on edge. I'm scared he's going to give me an impossible one, and then he's going to fire me."</p><p>The chief sat down in the chair next to him. "He's allowing me to watch every simulation but mine, which I'll be taking. If he does something stupid, I'll be there to stop him." Dick looked up and gave a tired smile. "Now, c'mon. Simulations are soon. I'm going to be by your side until he calls me, and once I'm done, I'll come right back."</p><p>Dick stood up and walked slowly. He still felt uneasy. The entire force was gathered in the workroom, and was called one by one into another room. The squad™ stayed close to Dick, also sharing his uneasy feeling. The force had been much larger before, and they'd never gotten anything about it.</p><p>Dick started shaking when the chief was called in. He squeezed Dick's hand before standing up and walking to the room. He sat there for what felt like hours until the chief came out again. "It's simple. You're in a shoot out, and you need to shoot all of the men. They're testing our aim and strategy." He whispered as he sat down next to Dick. They waited again, until Dick's name was called.</p><p>The chief and Dick stood up. Dick was led to a gurney while the chief was led behind a glass window. "Alright. This is a very simple simulation. You're stuck in a situation, and you have to win. However, you won't know you're in the simulation. Be careful, as your heart rate will reflect the one in the simulation. So, that means get out alive. Good luck, and may your aim be straight." Brandon said as he injected something into Dick's arm. Dick got very dizzy, and passed out.</p><p>When he woke up, he was in the department. It was empty, and he was alone. And for some reason, he knew he was in the simulation. This wasn't a shoot out. He pulled his gun out from his belt and held it at his side. He snuck through the building, looking for anyone.</p><p>When he didn't find anyone, he carefully made his way outside. The streets were empty, the city silent. It unsettled him. He walked all around, scoured the city, but found nothing. He went back to the department to look for clues.</p><p>Dick found a file on the desk that hadn't been there before. He opened it and saw that the people had been kidnapped and taken to a warehouse that didn't exist in the real world. He was to take one pistol, and no knives. Two magazines. Nothing else.</p><p>He grabbed his weapons and hurried to the warehouse. He snuck onto the roof and looked through the windows. He saw four cages: one holding men, one holding women, one holding children, and one holding cops. He had twenty bullets, and five men to hit. He took a breath before heading for the back door, where the men had their backs turned. He slowly opened it and snuck inside.</p><p>Sticking to the shadows, he made his way to the keys, which were carelessly hung on a hook. He picked them up, making sure they would stay quiet. He hid behind a pillar and grabbed his gun from his belt. Aiming, he hit one of the men in the stomach and the other in the arm. Purposeful shots. The other three noticed and started shooting at him. He ducked behind a stone pillar.</p><p>After a while, one of the men ran out of bullets. Dick shot him in the leg before ducking back being the shelter. He'd been in many of these situations before.</p><p>Another man ran out of bullets, and he shot him in the stomach as well. He shot the other in the shoulder before rolling out and knocking him out. The man collapsed, and he started unlocking the cages. He started with the women and children before moving on to the men and cops. The kidnappers were arrested, and everyone returned home.</p><p>Dick shot up. He was back in the room. The chief was smiling like the Cheshire cat. Brandon was forcing a smile. "You're done with your simulation. You can leave now." He hopped off the gurney, and the chief left with him.</p><p>Outside, the chief congratulated Dick in his performance. "You did good. You've had the shortest time so far, and no casualties." "Was yours like that?" The chief shook his head. "I was thrown into the time right before I started shooting. I knew where to go. I think he was testing your intelligence."</p><p>Simulations passed quickly, and the cops were allowed to go home. As soon as he could, Dick passed out on the bed. He had an alarm set for when he needed to go out as Nightwing, but for now he needed sleep. His nerves were a wreck.</p><p>Luckily, no dreams. That was the best part of his nap: he actually got to sleep without dreams. Good or bad, dreams always bothered him. Could he not go one night without having something to ponder in the morning?</p><p>When he went out as Nightwing, he didn't find much that needed his help. The criminals seemed to be taking the night off. However, he continued patrol, just in case.</p><p>In the morning, he had a sinking feeling in his stomach. The cops were lined up in the foyer. "If I call your name, step forward." Brandon called out before pulling out a small card. "Oh, only one cop. We have some very talented people here." Everyone froze when they heard the name. "Dick Grayson."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Done? 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick felt the blood drain from his face. He stepped forward, and Brandon held out his hand. "Your badge, Grayson." Shaking, Dick reached up to remove the badge that had grown on him. "No."</p><p>"What?" Stiles whipped towards the chief, who had his arms crossed. "I said no. I watched his simulation. He did better than anyone in this room. He had no casualties, and had a shorter time than anyone else. What disqualifies him?" Everyone watched Stiles.</p><p>"He worked alone. One of the departments beliefs is teamwork. He should've opened the cage holding the officers first, allowing them to help the others out." "There was only one key, and I sure as hell didn't do that. Besides, the public comes first. So why isn't my name called? Is it the simulation, or your opinion that is costing him his badge?" Stiles was looking nervous.</p><p>Suddenly, he pulled Dick to his chest and put a gun to his head. His arm tightened around Dick's throat, cutting off his air supply. The other cops pulled out their guns and aimed them at Stiles. Dick pulled at Stiles' arm, trying to get the ability to breathe back. "Let him go. Now."</p><p>Stiles pushed the barrel into his head. "Not happening. I've worked too hard to get this." He started backing up. "Worked too hard to get what?" "Do you know how much this little pest aggravated me? How I actually had to earn my place in life, and then this Gypsy is just given everything I wanted? It consumed me. Now I'm taking everything from him." Dick was starting to see black dots.</p><p>"There's another way. Let him go, and we'll talk." The chief edged forward. The cops began spreading out around him. Dick was finding it hard to stay awake. "No." "You've got five seconds to release him, or we shoot." He tightened his grip on Dick's throat.</p><p>"Five." Nothing. "Four." Dick's head started to drop. "Three." Dick let his arms fall. "Two." Dick blacked out. He heard something, but couldn't move. Couldn't do anything. He felt himself falling, and felt someone catch him, but couldn't signal to whoever was picking him up. He was placed on a board, and a breathing mask was placed on his face.</p><p>He lost feeling after a while. He was in the peaceful darkness. The darkness that meant nothing could happen to him. He couldn't lose anything. He couldn't lose everything.</p><p>When he began to hear and feel again, he heard a beeping sound. The bed underneath him was comfortable. He managed to crack one eye open and look around. He was in a hospital room. The chief was sitting next to him, holding his hand. "Dick? You awake?" Dick groaned as he opened his eyes further, letting himself adjust.</p><p>"You have us a good scared. You collapsed when Stiles was shot. We managed to catch you to find the bruises on your neck. We called the ambulance, and you were rushed to the hospital. Can you move?" It was hard and painful, but he could move a little. "Yeah." His voice was weak, and crackly. He swallowed before launching into a painful coughing fit. The chief held the back of his head.</p><p>When he was done, his eyes were getting even heavier. "By the way, Brandon was faking. We weren't getting too big. He paid the lawyer to say we were in an attempt to get you fired. You've still got your job." Dick smiled before closing his eyes. He was tired.</p><p>He woke up later to see Amanda and Selina sitting with the chief. It wasn't as hard as the first time, but his eyes still felt like weights. Amanda and Selina were holding his hands this time, and he squeezed them sightly. "Hey, Dick. How are you feeling?" Amanda asked, pushing his hair out of his eyes.</p><p>"Tired. How long has it been?" He managed to get out. "About two days. You woke up yesterday as well." The chief said, grabbing the glass of water. Propping Dick's head up, he helped the tired Ebony drink, which helped his throat. He started coughing at one point, but stopped himself before it could get bad.</p><p>"Brandon?" Dick asked, wondering what had happened to his bully. "Dead. Turns out, we have some cops who aim very well. Seven bullets to the heart, and eight to the head. He wouldn't have survived." Dick nodded. His eyes started dropping again. "Get some sleep, Dick. We'll take care of everything." The chief said, running his fingers through Dick's hair. He went back into the darkness that signaled safety.</p><p>He woke up again to see Bruce at his side. He smiled, and the heart monitor sped up. Tears came to his eyes as he saw his father smile in relief. "Hey, Dickie. I'm so sorry I couldn't come sooner." Bruce said as he hugged Dick. " it's alright. You're here, aren't you? Dick said weakly. A tear slipped from his eye.</p><p>"I am. And I promise I'll be here for you." Bruce said as Dick rested his head on Bruce's shoulder. When they finally did pull out of the hug, Dick was getting tired again. "Hey Bruce?" "Yeah, Dickie?" "Say hi to Timmy and Damian for me. Jason as well, if he's there." Bruce smiled again at his eldest's request. "Of course."</p><p>Dick's days went like that: wake up, talk to someone for a bit, and then go back to sleep. After a while, he managed to stay awake longer, and he could keep his eyes open wider.</p><p>The nurses started letting him walk again. He was very unsteady, but could walk. Someone was always supporting him at first, but he outgrew the need for it as time went on. After about three weeks, he could walk normally and stay awake for the normal human time.</p><p>After about a month, he returned to the department. He wasn't allowed to do much except files, but it was better than a hospital bed. Six weeks later, and the doctors declared him ready for the field.</p><p>The chief had him start small, such as muggings, but let him take on bigger crimes when he needed to. The bigger crimes became his normal as he took on his usual again. He was a cop, and the department was going to keep it that way. Not just the squad™, but the entire department. Grayson meant too much to lose.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Claustrophobic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick slammed into the bars once again. He and the squad™ had been captured, and he was in a separate cell that he could barely move around. It reminded him too much of his first foster home. All it needed was a body in it.</p><p>He hadn't come to live with Bruce straight off the bat. He'd been given to a drunk named Kevin. Dick always did what he was told, but one day Kevin locked him in the closet. He couldn't get out. The next day, Kevin had thrown the body of his dead wife in there with him. Dick had been trapped in that closet for a week with the decaying body before they had rescued him.</p><p>Dick rammed his shoulder into the bars once more before giving up. He leaned against the wall and slid down. Resting his head on the wall, he felt tears come to his eyes. If he didn't get out of here soon, he'd have a panic attack. He didn't need that when he was alone.</p><p>"Grayson, you ok?" The chief called out. The cells were all in one big room, but the squad™ had bigger cells. "Fine. Just hate small spaces." Dick wiped away a tear that had escaped. They didn't need to see him cry. "Are you injured?" Dick grimaced at the thought of his shoulder. "Just a bruised shoulder. I'll be fine." Dick said, rubbing said shoulder. He realized his mistake a moment before the panic set in.</p><p>I'll be fine was a phrase he would tell himself in the closet. He would be fine once he got out of it. Dick's breathing picked up. No, no, no! He had to get his breathing back under control. No one would be there to help him if he didn't.</p><p>"Are you sure you're ok?" Amanda asked. He couldn't respond, he didn't have enough air, not enough space. "Grayson? Grayson, can you hear me?" He started hyperventilating. "We've got to get out of these cells. But how?" Selina asked, examining the locks. However, they all backed up when they heard running.</p><p>Three guards came in. One went over towards Dick's cell while the others pointed their guns at the squad™. The man went into the cell and attempted to calm Dick down. His breathing slowed, but was still too quick to be called normal.</p><p>The guards seemed satisfied and turned to leave. Dick, calm enough to think, snatched something from the man's belt. Luckily, he didn't notice. The three left, and Dick focused on his breathing.</p><p>"Grayson? What happened?" "Panic attack." "What can we do?" Dick smirked. "We could get out of here." Dick held up a ring of keys. "Nice going!" Dick unlocked his cell and sighed in relief when he moved into a bigger space. The chief got out first.</p><p>He crushed Dick in a hug. "I thought you were hurt." "I'm fine. Just shaken up." Dick said, managing to get the chief off of him. "We need to get out of here. Sit down and I'll get the rest." Dick slid down the wall again and watched as the chief unlocked the rest of the cells. As soon as they were out, they all ran to Dick, who was exhausted. He had almost fallen asleep on the wall when the last member was released.</p><p>The chief pulled him to his feet. "Let's go." The squad™ ran through the halls, someone always making sure Dick was with them. They came across the main room and found themselves in a warehouse. Dick looked up and saw a window. "I'm going to climb up to the window. I can get a better view from up there, and can tell us where we are." The chief looked reluctant, but agreed.</p><p>Dick made his way up the staircase carefully. So far, the main room seemed empty, but one can never be too careful. He leapt off the catwalk and into the rafters, where he carefully navigated a path of beams. One slip up, and he was done for. Hopping onto the windowsill, he saw the harbor. "We're near the bay!" Dick called down to them. "Get down here and we'll go." Dick landed on the catwalk and made his way down the stairs. His limbs seemed heavier than he remembered.</p><p>Outside of the warehouse was the cars they had come in. Dick rode with the chief on the way up there, and would ride with him on the way back. "You can take a nap in the way there." The chief told him. Dick shook his head. "I'll be fine until I can get home."</p><p>The chief sighed. "Didn't want to have to do this, Dickie." "What are you?" Then he felt it. Dick swayed, and then collapsed in the chief's arms, the sedative running through his system. The chief picked him up and carried him to the car.</p><p>Amanda noticed, but she had an idea of why. Dick could often be stubborn, especially when it came to his own health. The chief laid him down in the back, making sure he was comfortable before driving off. Dick needed to take better care of himself.</p><p>At Dick's apartment, the chief carefully laid him on the bed. He wondered what had caused the panic attack. Grayson said he'd had bad experiences, but what bad experiences? What was so bad that he'd had a panic attack?</p><p>The chief placed a blanket over the sleeping boy. The chief had already decided that Dick didn't need to go out as Nightwing tonight. Not after being kidnapped. He decided to stay, and it was a good thing he did.</p><p>Dick was in a closet again. He banged on the door, Begging to be let out. He heard Kevin laugh, over and over again. He looked to his right to see the wife's dead body. He fell back, crawling to get away from her. It was too much. He had to wake up!</p><p>"Grayson! Wake up!" Dick woke up to see the chief shaking him. "You were having a nightmare, Dick. It's ok, you're safe." The chief pulled him close. Dick leaned against the chief, his embrace comforting after the nightmare he'd had.</p><p>"Wanna tell me what it was about?" Dick looked down. "In real life, I didn't go to live with Bruce immediately. I went to a man named Kevin. He was a drunk, and locked me in a closet about the third day I was there. The next day, h-he threw in the body of his dead wife. I-I was stuck in there for a week." Dick stammered, trying to keep the tears in.</p><p>The chief didn't know what to do. He'd never experienced this before. "And I know it's stupid, but every time I'm stuck in a small space like that, it reminds me of him. It reminds me of being stuck in that closet with the body. And it's something I know I'll never get over. But I can't help blaming myself. I'm supposed to be strong, always there for others. Sometimes people forget I'm human." Dick carried on, the tears flowing freely now.</p><p>"Hey, it's ok. Believe it or not, I understand the people forget you're human thing. Being the head of a police department is kinda like that. But Dick, it is in no way your fault. Take tonight off." The chief attempted to comfort him. Dick shook his head. "I can't. Blüdhaven needs me." The chief held him down. "But you also need to rest. Get some sleep. Don't make me sedate you again." Dick sighed. "I don't have a choice, do I?" "Nope."</p><p>Dick laid back on the bed and groaned. "What if there's a major crime tonight?" "Only then will I let you out. You need sleep, Dick. Especially after that panic attack. I want you to sleep not drugged in any way." "Fine." Dick pulled the blanket over him before burying his head in the pillow. The chief chuckled. "See you in the morning, Dickie."</p>
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<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Monster</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick stared at the giant shield surrounding an office building. Some sort of monster was in there, and the police department was bring sent in to kill or detain it. Dick felt bad, as the creature might not know it was doing anything wrong.</p><p>"Alright. All squads, move in. Grayson, you're with me." A transfer cop directed them. Dick honestly didn't know his name. He was from Gotham, and figured he ruled the department. Dick followed him, shivering as he went through the shield. It was there to keep things in, not push them out. The creature would know they were there.</p><p>Amanda and the chief were not there. They were currently out answering another distress call. They had no idea the transfer had dragged Dick onto this mission. They thought he was still back at the department. They were going to kill him when he got back. If he got back.</p><p>The transfer snuck through the hallways, and Dick followed him. They had been to three floors, and they had forty six to go. They heard nothing. Saw nothing. But Dick knew they were drawing close. Like a lion to it's prey. Slow, and steady. Dick just didn't know if he was there predator or the prey.</p><p>The transfer saw something and grinned. "Huntin' time." He said before running in. Dick looked around the corner to the the transfer try to shoot the creature. But the bullet bounced off his thick hide. Dick could see an open underbelly, but the transfer seemed to be intent on the head. "Shoot for under it!" Dick yelled. "Why don't you?" "Because I'm supposed to stay at the door and keep this thing in! It's protocol!" "Screw protocol, just get in here!"</p><p>But Dick stayed where he was. He had one job, and that was keep this creature in the room. No matter what the transfer said. Dick would only go in if the transfer was in danger of dying. That was the only thing that would pull him in. He hadn't wanted to come, he'd been volunteered, but he would still follow protocol. That's what had been drilled into his head.</p><p>He heard a scream of pain, and looked out. The transfer was holding his arm, and whatever this thing was started moving towards him. Knowing he was doing something stupid, he shot the back of the creature. It turned to him and ran. He ran as well, leading it to a window.</p><p>He reached it and turned around. The thing was still running. He stayed still until the creature was almost on him, then ducked. It sailed out the window, rolling to a stop on the ground. It attempted to stand up, but collapsed. It was injured.</p><p>Dick observed it from the window, breathing hard. He'd run through a lot of twists and turns. The transfer came up being him. "What the hell, Grayson!" He yelled before slapping him. Dick's head snapped to the side. They were unaware of the crowd watching them.</p><p>"I said help me!" "I did! But protocol says that until you're injured or in the danger of death, I'm to stay at the door and make sure it doesn't escape!" "I meant get in there and be a man! Not run away like a coward." "For your information, I drew this thing away from you. I ran away because it meant you would survive! The thing was focused on me, not you anymore. Not every situation is a 'go in with guns ablaze' thing! We don't even know what this thing is, and we didn't know if bullets were going to work on it!" Dick was getting mad.</p><p>"That's what experimenting is for, rich boy!" "Experimenting that could end your life! Did you even think before you rushed in there, or did glory and fame take over your mind?" "Stay away from my mind. I don't need it tainted by a gypsy. You've had everything laid out for you your whole life! Some of us actually had to earn that!"</p><p>"I know that! You think I haven't known that from the moment my dad pulled me off that circus floor? You think I haven't heard that remark before? I've had to earn stuff as well! I wasn't just given this job, I had to earn it. I had to train for it. For the first eight years of my life, I actually had to earn a living, just like everyone else on this planet! I didn't just go with Bruce to get everything, I went with him because he was my best option for a future! It was that or juvie, because the orphanages were full, and the social workers hated me! Think before you say something, or have you had so many concussions you can't do that?" Dick yelled, getting up in his space.</p><p>The man's glare was ice, but it was nothing compared to Dick's Bat glare. Dick huffed before walking away. The transfer looked down to see the force glaring at him. Today was not his day.</p><p>Once he was certain the man couldn't see him, Dick slid into one of the bathrooms and started crying. Why couldn't they just leave him alone? Why did they constantly have to bring his past up? Why? Hadn't his life been crap enough?</p><p>The chief and Amanda rushed into the building, the creature contained. They saw the transfer while walking through the building. "Where's Grayson?" Amanda growled, really wanting to punch this man. "Don't know. He ran off, like the coward he is." The man spat before attempting to walk past the duo. Amanda couldn't resist it anymore and punched him in the face.</p><p>"Don't you dare call him a coward. He'd more of a man than you'll ever be." She hissed in his ear before letting him go and walking away. The chief glared at him. "Don't get too comfortable. I'll have that badge before the week is over." The man walked out holding his nose, which was bleeding. Dang, that girl could punch.</p><p>Amanda and the chief made their way through the building, looking for signs of Grayson. They found one squad who had been looking for the source of the gun shots, but no Grayson. After sending them out, Amanda decided to try the bathrooms. Maybe Grayson locked himself in one of them.</p><p>The chief decided to check the rest of the rooms, just in case. You never knew where Grayson went when he needed some time alone. Once, the chief had found him wedged under a desk. That was a weird day.</p><p>Amanda pushed on the door and it opened. She could hear crying, and knew she'd found him. He didn't yell at others often, and he always hated remarks to his childhood. Dick had locked himself in one of the stalls.</p><p>Amanda closed the door and turned the small knob, activating the lock. It was their code, in case this happened. Locked door, Grayson was in there and he was crying.</p><p>Amanda sat down in front of the stall housing her little brother. "Wanna talk about it?" She asked softly, as to not startle him. "Why can't people just leave my past alone? Why do they always have to point out that I'm a gypsy, or that I had everything handed to me? I know I have, I don't need anymore reminders." Dick said, sniffing.</p><p>"I can't comfort you all that well, but they don't know anything. I heard the whole conversation. I had no idea you spent time in juvie." "I don't like to talk about it much." "And I can see why! But please, come out of the stall. We don't have to leave the bathroom, but at least let me see your face. I didn't know you had been pulled on this, and I was worried."</p><p>The door clicked, and Dick walked out with red eyes. He was wiping away a tear, his cheek turning purple. Amanda stood up and hugged him. He buried his head in her shoulder, more tears falling out. Amanda rubbed his back and let him cry. He didn't cry around many people. So when he did cry, she always tried to be there.</p><p>A knock on the door broke them apart. "Amanda? You in there?" The chief. "Yeah. I found him." She shouted. "We were worried when the transfer came out and you didn't." She explained when she saw his face. "Oh." "Yeah. Let's get out of here." She put her all around his shoulders and led him to the door.</p><p>When they walked out, the chief hugged him. He'd gotten worried when every room he checked was empty. However, Dick was safe, and that was all that mattered. The creature had been taken to Star Labs for examination, and the transfer was losing his badge</p><p>"I had no idea he would say those things. I'm sorry I let him work with you." Dick shrugged. "It's no good if I'm never exposed to it. It's not good when I'm exposed to it either, but at least I'll have some experience." The chief looked more closely at the bruise forming. It was his cheekbone that took the brunt of the force. It was a dark purple, and it extended up towards his ear. It stopped about halfway up his face. One thing was for sure: this would not happen again. He would make sure of that.</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Zoo escape</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick almost laughed when he saw what their mission was. Because of a storm, the animals at the Blüdhaven Zoo had escaped their pens and weren't going back in. They were calling the police in as an attempt to get the animals back. Grayson and the squad™, as well as some others, were going.</p><p>At the zoo, Dick could barely keep from bouncing on his toes. He loved animals. And, all the animals they were struggling with were circus animals. Including the snakes.</p><p>They attempted to get the elephants back in first, as they were the largest. They had almost the whole group, minus Grayson, push on an elephant. Nothing. That's when they saw Dick on the back of an elephant, pure joy on his face. "Yo, Grayson! Little help?" One of the others called out. </p><p>Dick pouted, but whispered something to the elephant. He hopped down, and the elephant he had been on blared his trunk. The other elephants followed Dick to their pen, where he promised to come visit them. "What the hell?" The same officer muttered. "You asked for help." Amanda shrugged.</p><p>Next was the Lions. The group, minus Grayson yet again, were more cautious. However, Grayson had two Lions sitting by him, and he was giggling. Yes, giggling. The other Lions noticed and went to the new friend. This was one of the best days, in Dick's opinion. "Is anyone else finding this weird?" "Hey, you can take the boy out of the circus, but you can't take the circus out of the boy." Dick replied, his giggles turning into laughs.</p><p>After about ten minutes and seven videos later, the chief dropped in. "Alright. Time to move on." Another pout, but Dick got the Lions back in their pen, promising to visit them as well. They rubbed their heads against the fence, saying goodbye.</p><p>Bears next! The group managed to get one bear in without the help of their animal whisperer, but that was it. The other two were sitting on the ground, adoring their new friend. Dick sat in the middle of it, rubbing their bellies and heads. A huge smile laid on his face.</p><p>The chief took his third picture of Dick with all the animals when he noticed something he hadn't earlier: these were all circus animals. The elephants, Lions, and bears were all circus animals. Dick had grown up surrounded by these creatures. He grew up leaning how to handle them.</p><p>Another ten minutes, and the chief broke in yet again. "You know the drill. Tigers next." "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!" Amanda joked. Dick's face was a mix of sadness and excitement. He let the bears to the pen that held their friend and promised to visit them before following the group.</p><p>By now, the group just stood to the side and took pictures and videos of their animal wonder. The tigers fell in love with him immediately. They rubbed their heads all over him and purred. The group talked for a few minutes, and looked back to find an adorable sight.</p><p>Dick had fallen asleep leaning against one of the tigers. His legs were crossed and had two tiger heads on them. One of his arms also had a tiger head weighing it down. The tiger acting as his pillow had her head down on the warm stone. Many pictures were taken. One of the zoo keepers came over and saw the strange sight.</p><p>"Animal lover?" She asked. "More like animal whisperer. He's gotten the animals to all listen to him, just like that. They all love him. He's promised to come back and visit all of them." "Well, when he wakes up, tell him he's welcome to visit anytime, free of charge. We'll even take him behind the scenes." The chief nodded. "I'll tell him."</p><p>About five minutes later, he woke up. "I see you had a nice nap." The chief joked as Dick rubbed his eyes with his free hand. "Yes. I see why tigers always lay on stone, it's very warm. And they're very comfortable." Dick carefully woke each tiger up and led them to their pen. Tired and happy, they went in and went to the stone. Except for the one who had been his pillow. She stopped at the gate and rubbed her head against it. "I'll come back and visit you, girl. Want a name?"</p><p>The tiger seemed to nod. "Alright. How about Tasha? That way, when I come again, you'll know it's me?" Tasha rubbed her head against the gate again. "Tasha it is. I'll see you later, Tasha." He pet her head before walking away. Tasha joined the others and went back to sleep.</p><p>"By the way, one of the zookeepers said you could come anytime, and for free. They might even take you behind the scenes." The chief informed him. "Really?" Dick had a grin like the Cheshire Cat. Today really was amazing. "Really." The chief said, happy to see Dick acting like a kid for once.</p><p>They worked with the seals and the parrots next. The parrots all perched on Dick's head and shoulders, and the seals hopped along at his feet. He carefully placed each bird on a branch, making sure not to mess with the others. Once every parrot had a branch, he promised to visit them.</p><p>The seals were a little trickier. They all performed tricks when they slid into the water, and the others got jealous. They all wanted to be the seal he favored the most. "Ladies, you're all beautiful. But I do have other things to do, so can we wrap this up please?" Dick asked laughing. The seals all went into the water and stayed there, and he promised to visit them.</p><p>The last animals were the snakes, and the group was happy to let Dick take care of that. He got everything to find someplace on him and hang on. The first vivarium was supposed to hold a smaller snek. He located it, on his shoulder, and bent down. The snek slithered into it's little home, and Dick continued. He followed the pattern: find the vivarium, locate what was in it, and put it in. Lastly was the python that hung around his shoulders.</p><p>He put his hand up next to it and it slithered on, coiling itself around his arm. He lowered his arm into the vivarium and let the python slither off. He replaced the opening and said he would come and visit. The snek flicked it's tongue and bobbed it's head up and down. Dick left the reptile house and rejoined the group.</p><p>"It's the animal whisperer!" Brutus called out. "Hello. Yes, I have survived in a daring feat of bravery and willpower!" He mocked, bowing to add affect. "More like stupidity and luck." Amanda joked, taking his hat. He snatched it back and place it on his head.</p><p>"So, how did you do that?" Amanda asked. "I grew up on a circus. You pick up a few tricks. Such as, elephants love it when you rub their trunk. And let bears approach first. Don't look them in the eye, or they'll consider you a threat." Dick explained as they walked out of the zoo. He still had the giant smile on his face. The chief was surprised he wasn't in pain yet.</p><p>"Could you teach us these things?" Dick made an uncertain sound. "How I learned was watching the animal caretakers. I never actually heard them, so it's hard to explain half of what I do." The group nodded. It made sense. "It's alright. You can at least show us. No words needed." The officer urged. "Well, in that case… nah." The group turned to look at him. "It's a circus thing."</p>
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<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Mom!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick picked up his ringing phone to see the caller ID recognized as Alfred. He went into the empty courtyard, unaware of his tailer. "Hey, Alfred. What's up?" Dick asked, a cheerful edge on his voice. "It appears Madam Selina has been missing her kitten. She's on her way over to Blüdhaven as we speak."</p><p>Dick sighed. "I should've known. Thanks, Alfred. See you later." "Goodbye, Master Dick." Dick put his phone up and sighed.</p><p>Meanwhile, in the lobby, a woman came in. "Can I help you, ma'am?" The officer at the desk asked. "Yes. I'm looking for a Dick Grayson? Might go by Richard?" The man pulled up something on the computer. "Logs say he's here. If you wait, I can go back and get him."</p><p>"That won't be necessary." Dick said as he entered the room. Selina smiled. "Hello, kitten. How have you been?" "Fine, Mom. How long did you manage to stall dad for?" Dick asked as she kissed his cheek. "About two hours. He thinks I'm getting my nails done, and you know how long that takes." Dick chuckled.</p><p>Dick led her to the workroom, where the squad™ was, and went to go put her stuff in his locker. When he came back, he saw a sight that warmed his heart.</p><p>The squad™ was crowded around his desk, where Selina k. sat. They saw him enter the room. "I'm back, mom." Dick said as he walked up. "Hello, kitten. You never told me about your friends." Dick shook his head.</p><p>"Mom? Kitten?" Amanda asked. "This is my mom, Selina k. She calls me kitten because she's a bit of a cat lady." Dick chuckled. "Yes, I am. But don't ever use it against me." "I say it from the bottom of my heart." He laughed.</p><p>"So, when were you going to introduce us, Grayson?" Tom asked. "I knew she would come eventually. So, I figured I would when she came." Dick shrugged. And that's when it happened.</p><p>Dick saw it at the last second: the timer. The red numbers that meant something was about to explode. He pulled Selina k. behind him right as the explosion went off. He took the full force of the flames while the squad™ and Selina were just thrown back. When it was over, he tried to sit up, but a foot slammed into his back and pushed him down.</p><p>"We got ourselves a hero, guys! Dick Grayson, the rookie who does it all. Some hero you are." The man holding him down spat. He heard a gasp, and sounds of struggling. "Let go of me, Brutus! He's on my kitten!" "We can't help him! Not if we pick fights." Brutus tried to reason with her. "Mom, listen to him." Dick said, his voice raspy.</p><p>It hurt Selina, seeing her kitten in this position. "Leave the building. He's stays with us." The man said. His crew pointed guns at the remaining cops. "I won't leave him!" Selina begged. "Go. Don't get in trouble because of me." Dick pleaded with her. It took Brutus and Amanda, but they convinced her to leave.</p><p>Once outside, the chief pulled her aside. "We know about him being Nightwing. If you want, you can go change into Catwoman and help him." He whispered into her ear. She nodded before hurrying away. She had to find somewhere to change.</p><p>Inside the building, things were a different story. The man had forced him into a sitting position, and had cuffed him. Dick groaned as his injuries were moved. "It hurt, pretty boy?" The man hissed in his ear. The man pulled on Dick's hair, forcing Dick to look at him. "I hope so, because you hurt me." "I'm sorry, you're one of the many people who have a vendetta against me. What did I do this time?" "What did you do? You shot my leg! And it took weeks for me to actually walk again!"</p><p>Dick had to stifle a laugh. "A shot leg? Dude, I've got people who are going against me because I busted their drug circle, or I was the one to figure out they were the murderer. But a shot leg? That's new." The man slapped him, his ring cutting into Dick's cheek. "Was that new?"</p><p>Dick shook his head. "I've been kidnapped multiple times, and I've been tortured, again, multiple times. That just gets the puns flowing." He joked. The man hit him harder, causing him to spit out blood. It started running out of the corner of his mouth, going from his chin to his neck.</p><p>"I would keep my mouth shut if I were you." "He snarled. Dick shrugged. "It never does." This time the man punched him, sending him crashing to the floor. "Not new, but ow. Ever thought about wrestling?" "Shut up!" The man kicked him, forcing him onto his back. The man raised his foot to kick him again, when Catwoman burst in.</p><p>"What are you doing here?" The men exclaimed. Dick managed to smile at her. His mom was here, and they were about to regret hurting him. "I'm here because you went after a woman's kitten. She's very protective of it." She pulled it her whip. "And you're on him."</p><p>The men looked down to Dick Grayson, who was weakly smiling. He knew something. "Alright, we can just talk this out." The man slowly backed away. Dick was starting to see black, the pain catching up to him. He hoped Selina would hurry.</p><p>"There is no talking this out." She snarled before attacking the men. Every one of them had at least one whip mark on him. But the leader, the one who had hurt her kitten, he had five, one for every finger on her hand. "I'll only tell you once: you touch him again, and no one will find your body." She hissed in his ear. He passed out, and she ran over to her kitten.</p><p>He smiled, even though it was obvious he was in pain. Selina slid his head into her lap. "Hey, mom. Some visit, huh?" He chuckled, then grimaced at his ribs. "Just stay awake. I'm going to get you out of here, but you need to stay awake for me. Can you do that?" He smiled, although it lacked energy. "I can try. Seeing black already, so I don't think I'm gonna be able to for long." She stroked his hair, carefully shaking the ash and dust out of it.</p><p>"Where are your keys?" She asked him. "One of the men took it when they took everything else. It's on one of them. I don't know which one." He managed to get out. "I need a nap." "No, no, no! Stay awake. Until the paramedics come in and say you can sleep, I want to see you awake. I want to see your beautiful eyes."</p><p>Dick chuckled, a small amount of blood joining the river on his chin. "You've told me that before." "And I will say it again and again: your eyes are beautiful. They remind me of that sky you love flying in." "Thanks, mom." Selina grabbed his hand, squeezing it. He squeezed back, showing her he was awake. "Look, I don't like it, but when I'm at the hospital the first time, act like I wasn't there. Remember, I'm supposed to be in Gotham." Dick nodded to the best of his ability.</p><p>The ambulance crew came in not long after. "Don't worry about me, I'm fine. Help him." Catwoman told the doctors. The handcuffs had been removed, and Dick was placed on the stretcher. They knelt down and did whatever they had to do to keep him alive. Selina snuck out and went back to the officers, this time in civies.</p><p>"How is he?" Tom asked when she rejoined them. "Pretty bad. They beat him a little after we left." This caused some negative reactions. Selina looked at her watch. "I've only got about thirty minutes before Bruce realizes something happened, and about twenty before this gets to the news. I'll see you later." She snuck off yet again.</p>
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<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Mom! 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bruce was in his office when Selina entered. "Hello, Selina. What's got you here today?" "I'm worried about Dick, for some reason. I've got this sinking feeling in my stomach, and I can't think why." She played it off. "I've been feeling that way too. Let me call him." Bruce pulled out his phone, right before it started ringing. The caller ID was 911.</p><p>He clicked the green button before putting it on speaker. "This is Bruce Wayne." "Mr. Wayne, we regret to inform you that your son, Richard Grayson, has been admitted to Blüdhaven memorial. The police department was attacked today, and he suffered massive injury. He's asked for you and Selina Kyle, so please get here as fast as you can." The phone turned off.</p><p>Bruce's and Selina's faces were masks of shock. Selina didn't expect it to be so bad. "When do we need to go?" She asked. "We go now. I'm not waiting if his injuries are as bad as they say." Bruce replied, grabbing whatever he needed.</p><p>The ride there was silent. They were both worried about Dick, and Selina was worried that Bruce would find out she'd been there. She didn't need him knowing she'd lied. Bruce, meanwhile, was worried about what had happened. All he'd gotten was that the department was attacked. He got no description of Dick's injuries, and had no idea what to brace himself for.</p><p>At the hospital, Bruce went as fast as he could without being weird about it. When he came to Dick's room, he took a deep breath and opened the door. And he almost wished he hadn't.</p><p>There was a ventilator tube going down Dick's throat. An IV and blood were being dispensed into his arm. He was pale, and bandages covered his torso, as well as his legs. There was a small square of gauze tapped to his cheek.</p><p>Bruce sat down next to the bed and grabbed into Dick's hand. He could've sworn he saw movement, but when he looked again he saw nothing. Selina sat on the other side and held his other hand. She knew she saw movement, but couldn't prove it.</p><p>Luckily, Dick could. He groaned as he opened his eyes, wincing at the bright light. He squeezed them shut and let them adjust. "Dick? Can you hear me, Chum?" Bruce asked, giving Dick's hand a quick squeeze. Dick nodded, opening his eyes even more. "I'll go get the doctor." Selina said as she left. Dick started to sit up, but was pushed back down.</p><p>"No, Dick. Don't sit up. I don't want you to get injured even more." Dick relaxed, although he looked a little disappointed. Selina and another man came in. He looked over at Dick's charts. "Hello, Dick! I'm about to remove the ventilator tube. Try not to squirm too much." The man said as he put one hand on Dick's chest. He pulled out the tube as fast as he could, causing Dick to whimper.</p><p>When it was out, the man wiped the small bit of saliva that came away. He grabbed a breathing mask and placed it on Dick's face. "Just so you know, I'm Dr. Irons. If you need me, just press the button on the bed." Dr. Irons informed Dick before he left. Dick closed his eyes again, the exhaustion starting to overwhelm him. Bruce held onto his hand as he drifted off into sleep.</p><p>"Will he be alright? You've known him longer than I have." Selina asked. "He should be. After he gets out, he'll be very sore for a while, but it'll pass. Just give him time to heal." Bruce responded, grabbing Selina's hand. She leaned into him and watched her kitten. Watched him breathe, watched him live. She still felt bad about leaving him.</p><p>Bruce and Selina stayed at the hospital that night. They wanted to be there when Dick woke up again, as he was their son. Well, maybe not theirs, but he was still a son to them. Bruce called Superman to take over Gotham, as he didn't want to leave. Superman accepted, and Bruce settled back down. Dick was going to be alright, but for now, he was needed here. And that's where he stayed.</p><p>Selina was the same story. She didn't call anyone, as Bruce already had. Besides, her kitten needed her more than a city that didn't accept her. And Bruce needed her as well. He wouldn't admit it, but he was trying to be strong. Strong for Dick, when he woke up again. In reality, he was scared something was going to go wrong, and Dick would end up dying. So Selina stayed with Bruce and her kitten. And that's where she was going to stay.</p>
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<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Scars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Amanda stared at the long white line stretching across her cheek. She'd let herself get cocky a couple patrols ago, and a man had gotten her with a knife. There was no way she could hide this. It was deep enough that it would break through makeup, and scarfs wouldn't be an option. Not at work anyway.</p><p>Someone knocked on the bathroom door. "Who is it?" Amanda yelled. "Just me, Amanda." Dick's voice cut the the door. She unlocked the door and stepped out into the hallway. He looked at the scar she was trying to hide. "I can help you with that." Dick pointed to her scar.</p><p>"How? How am I supposed to hide this?" Amanda said, worry lacing her voice. "I made this chip when I was younger. It hides your scars. I can give you mine, and make another one. But you have to calm down, ok?" Amanda nodded.</p><p>Dick tapped the back of his neck two times. A small metal square popped up in the back of his neck. "Turn around. I'll put it on. It's water proof as well, so no need to take it off when you shower, or whatever it is you do." Dick joked. She felt a small tingle, then nothing. "Tha- what the hell, Grayson!"</p><p>Scars littered his arms and face. The most noticable was a "j" on his cheek. He looked away, shame in his eyes. "Now you see why I wear it?"</p><p>The rest of the squad™ came around the corner. Amanda's shout had drawn them. "What's going- Grayson, what happened?" The chief managed to keep his voice quiet. "The life of a superhero. I normally wear a chip that hides them. That's the only reason you haven't seen them before. Amanda's got mine, and I'm going to make another one for me. It'll take maybe three days." Dick explained, rubbing his arm.</p><p>"Grayson, I can live with one scar. But that is crazy." Amanda said. "You haven't seen the worst of it." Dick mumbled, causing the chief to raise his eyebrow. "Then show us." Brutus urged. Dick rolled his eyes before taking off his shirt.</p><p>The squad™ stared. All over their little brother's chest were scars. Bullets, burns, stabs, and names. Horrible names were permanently etched into his skin. The worst was the word "Joker" on his left pec. A scar that looked like a thorny vine wrapped around his torso. Little H's and J's littered his arms. "That's the worst. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to put my shirt on and get back to work." Dick walked away.</p><p>The squad™ just watched him walk off. They had no idea his injuries had been that bad. "How long have we been this blind?" Amanda asked, feeling horrible about taking the chip on her neck. "The whole time. He's smart. He knew how to hide them. However, don't think he's out of the woods yet. I'm going to dig into this." The chief reassured her.</p><p>Dick didn't come in the next day. When looking at records, it turns out he'd called in sick. The chief decided to check up on him, knowing he was probably working on the chip.</p><p>When he knocked, he didn't expect to find Dick red faced. He looked tired, and he had dark circles under his eyes. He motioned for the chief to come in, backing away.</p><p>"Are you ok, Grayson?" The chief asked as Dick collapsed on the couch. "No. Thanks to this stupid fever, I haven't been able to work on the chip." Dick said, wrapping a blanket around himself. "When did you start feeling bad?" "This morning. Don't know what happened." Dick mumbled, burying his face in the couch pillow.</p><p>"Do you want some help? I could make the chip while you give me directions." He offered. "Got directions…on a file. Gonna take a nap." Dick said as he drifted off. The chief looked at the open laptop and the table covered in machinery. He pulled up the file and sighed. Dick had already started, which led the chief to believe he may have stayed up all night trying to finish this.</p><p>Luckily, the chief had some experience in technology. He'd taken a college course, and knew something about it. He wasn't at Dick's level, but it was better than nothing. He picked up the first wires and connected them.</p><p>The chief spent a few hours working. He got a lot done, but knew it was only a fraction of what needed to be done. He set a bowl of cereal in front of Dick for when he woke up. He knew Dick was probably just going to push it away, but it was better to be safe than sorry.</p><p>When the shift ended, the squad™ all went over to Grayson's apartment. The chief knocked on the door, but no answer. He pulled out the spare and inserted it into the lock. He quietly pushed open the door to see Dick still asleep on the couch, looking worse. His cheeks were flushed, and his breathing sounded wrong.</p><p>The chief hurried over and put the back of his hand on Dick's forehead. His temperature was higher, and he noticed the uneaten cereal. He gently pulled the blanket down to Dick's hips, freeing his torso. Dick calmed down slightly, but was still very bad.</p><p>"He needs a doctor." Amanda said, putting her hand on the chief's shoulder. "I know. But do we want to bring them here, or do we want to take him there?" He asked, grabbing a small towel. Brutus saw what he was doing and came back with a bowl of water. The chief dunked the towel into the water and placed it on Dick's forehead. Some of the heat disappeared, but not a lot.</p><p>"I don't think he's in any condition to be moved. I'll place the call." Amanda said before pulling out her phone. The chief nodded before replacing the cloth. Selina walked over to the table that held the partially finished chip. "This it?" "Yeah. I worked on it a little this morning. I haven't even got it halfway done yet." The chief said as he looked closer at the scar on Dick's cheek. The "j" was carved very professionally, as if the person had been doing this for a long time.</p><p>After about thirty minutes, the doctor showed up. Amanda led him to Dick, who's breathing had picked up. The chief held his hand as the doc went to work. Once done, he sighed. "A very bad fever. Keep him in bed, keep him cool, liquid foods for now, and try to keep his breathing in check. If it sounds like he's out of breath, or struggling to breathe, call me." The chief nodded.</p><p>"If you don't mind me asking, where did all of these scars come from?" The doc raised an eyebrow. "He lived in Gotham before he came here. And, being a billionaire's Ward, he got kidnapped a lot. The kidnappers didn't always care for his health." The chief explained. The doc nodded. "He should be fine. But if it gets worse, or doesn't start to die down in the next few days, call me." He said as he left.</p><p>"So, you said directions were on a file?" Amanda asked. "Yeah. If you want, you can go ahead and start. I did a little this morning, but it still needs work." Amanda nodded before sitting down. She'd kinda looked into the chip to study it. It was very advanced, and she'd been surprised he'd made it at such a young age.</p><p>Amanda slowly worked, having almost no electrical experience. However, Dick had included pictures with the instructions, so she had an idea of what went where. She worked on the chip until late into the night, as it kept her mind off of Dick's scars. She had it almost complete, but she wanted to be sure she got it right.</p><p>Amanda volunteered to stay with Dick that night. She still felt bad about taking the original chip, and she felt it was somehow her fault he was sick. She'd taken the chip, and he'd gotten sick. That couldn't be a coincidence.</p><p>Amanda pulled a chair up and sat next to Dick. His cheeks were still flushed, and he was still not breathing right, but he looked and sounded better.</p><p>Amanda looked closer at the scars. They were faded, but still dark enough for her to see them. She traced one with her finger, careful not to wake Dick. It looked like claw marks, but it was too clean. This wasn't the work of an animal. She'd ask him about it when he woke up.</p><p>About two hours later, the chief came to relieve her. She stood up and stretched before informing the chief there had been little to no change. She decided just to crash here.</p><p>When she woke up, the sun shined in her face and blinded her, putting her in a bad mood already. She stood up and walked out to the couch, where Brutus sat. He nodded when he saw her, but didn't do anything else.</p><p>They both snapped towards Dick when they heard a groan. Amanda knelt down in front of him and grabbed his hand. Dick cracked his eyes open and smiled. "Oh, thank goodness. You were starting to worry us." Amanda said, pulling him into a hug. "I just took a nap." "A nap? Dick, you slept for an entire day! A day! That's not a nap." Amanda said.</p><p>Dick groaned as he sat up. He piled the pillows up behind him, keeping him in a sitting position. "How much have you gotten done on the chip?" He asked. "About three fourths of the way done." Dick swung his legs around.</p><p>"What the hell are you doing?" "Working on the chip." "No. You're still sick." "And I've got a chip to complete. So are you going to help me, or an I going to do this myself?" Amanda pulled his arm around her shoulders and helped him stand.</p><p>He surprisingly put a lot of his weight on his own legs, even when they were walking. Dick sat in the chair and pulled his materials close. Amanda watched him make it, but the scars drew her attention.</p><p>"Dick, where did you get this one?" She asked as she touched the claws. "That? I got that from Catwoman, when I first started. That was way before she became my mom. So don't kill her next time you see her." Dick said before pushing his tool into the board, causing sparks to fly. He was feeling much better.</p><p>After about two hours, the chip was finally finished. Dick placed the casing on it before putting it on the back of his neck. Amanda watched all the scars disappear. He sighed. "It feels good to have that familiar weight back." He said as he leaned against the back of the chair.</p><p>"I'm glad. Now back to bed." Amanda said. She chuckled as he groaned. "But I just woke up!" "Two hours ago. C'mon, you still have to eat." "Eat what? I know I'm on a liquid diet." "You can eat applesauce." She laughed as he groaned again. This fever was going to be the death of him.</p>
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<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Civies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick was walking down the street in a hoodie when he heard a commotion. He pulled his hood up and looked around the corner. A couple of people with knives had a small group from the team surrounded. Beast Boy was clutching his arm, and his leg seemed to be bleeding. Dick sighed before stepping into the alley.</p><p>"What are you doing here, kid? Go home, don't get involved." One of the men turned around. Everyone focused on him. "Can you just lay off them? It's a Monday, and I'm not in the best of moods." He said, his head bowed. They couldn't see his face.</p><p>The men laughed. "Or what? What can a kid like you do?" Three of the men branched off and surrounded him. The man in front of him lunged, and he knelt down to tie his shoe. The man crashed into another, and they both went down.</p><p>"Playing coward now, are we? Started a fight and can't finish it?" The other men converged on him, having completely forgotten about the team. He sighed. "Let's get this over with." The men smiled before moving in.</p><p>He grabbed an arm and twisted it, causing the knife to slip out of his grasp. His eyes flicked towards another man, and Dick sent the one in his grasp flying. The others backed up, a little unsure now. "Who's the cowards now?" He taunted.</p><p>The leader growled and leapt at the annoying kid. He kicked the leader in the stomach and punched his face. The leader went crashing to the ground. The others ran away, dropping their knives. Dick grabbed a pair of cuffs and placed them on the leader's wrists.</p><p>He turned around to see the team staring. "C'mon. If you carry this guy, I'll take y'all to the station and get that injury looked at." Dick offered. Conner picked the man up and Dick slung Beast Boy's arm around his shoulders. Beast Boy limped along, and the team followed. Dick led them to the police station and escorted them in.</p><p>The officer at the desk stood up to stop them. "It's ok, Mark. They're with me. The guy being held, he attempted to attack or kill them. This one's injured, and I'm going to help him before sending them home." Mark nodded and grabbed the leader before leaving.</p><p>"Ok, how did you do that?" Beast Boy asked. Dick set him down on his chair in the almost empty office. It was still early morning. "I work here. Leg out." Dick instructed as he grabbed the med-kit. He cut the fabric away and started stitching up the wound.</p><p>"If you don't mind me asking, how do you know this?" Conner asked. "I did medical studies. I'm the son of a billionaire, and he was worried that one day, I'd be injured and the paramedics wouldn't be able to reach me. He had me take classes, just in case." Dick explained as he wrapped the stitches up. "Arm."</p><p>The team stayed silent as Dick stitched up Beast Boy's arm. They still didn't know who this man was, and they had no idea how he'd known all that fighting. Conner and Kaldur started talking in sign language. "If you want to know how I did it, you can just ask." They looked down at the man, who still had his back turned.</p><p>"How did you do all that stuff?" Conner asked. "Got an extra mask? Domino, preferably." Batgirl looked suspiciously for a moment before pulling one out. He put it on and finally pulled down his hood. "Hey." He smirked.</p><p>Batgirl laughed and hugged him. "You idiot, I thought you were a stranger!" "Nope. Now let go so I can wrap BB's arm." Batgirl reluctantly let him continue treating Beast Boy. When he finished wrapping the arm, he took off the mask and pulled up his hood. "You guys need to go. Remember, I never met you." Dick said as he pushed them out.</p>
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<a name="section0028"><h2>28. Exhaustion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick yawned as he finished his twentieth file. The department was behind, and Dick had been awake for over two weeks trying to catch up. Plus, his supervisor wasn't letting him leave until he was done. He grabbed his next file and looked over it, having to squint because of his vision. He was exhausted.</p><p>Dick looked up as Wally came in. He rushed over to Dick's desk, ignoring the look the supervisor gave him. "Dickie, you've been here two weeks! You need to come home." Wally tried to convince him. "Walls, I can't leave until everything is done. I've only got five more files, and I'm done."</p><p>The supervisor came over. "Can I help you?" He asked, arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. "Yes. When can I take him home?" Wally asked. The man glared. "Officer Grayson can't leave until his work is done." "If I may, he's been awake for two weeks. I think it's time for a break."</p><p>The man grabbed Wally's wrist. "I don't care who you are-" "I'm his boyfriend!" "But until he's done, he's not going anywhere." Dick stood up to help Wally, but regretted it as soon as he saw the dots. He groaned and started to fall. Wally caught him and laid him down bridal style, holding his head with one hand. "Dick? Dickie, can you hear me?" No answer.</p><p>Wally's worry turned to anger. This man had pushed Dick past his point. Dick had done almost everything, and the man couldn't give him time off? "What the hell is your problem? Do you know what just happened? He passed out because you wouldn't let him leave to sleep! He's been awake two weeks, and he just fainted from exhaustion." Wally snarled at the man. "So? He's a rookie, it builds character."</p><p>Dick groaned as sound started to come back to him. People were…yelling? Why were people yelling? And why was his back so cold? He focused on hearing their words instead of just their voices.</p><p>"You idiot! One day is all he needed!" "The entire department is behind, and I'll not let him skip out just because he's a rookie!" "Skip out? He's done more work in the two weeks he's been up than you have in your entire career! He's passed out because of you!"</p><p>Dick cracked his eyes open to see Wally snarling. Dick realized Wally was holding him bridal style. What had happened?</p><p>He moved his eyes to see Adam Umar in front of Wally, his arms crossed. Adam was a new cop, and had been placed in charge of Dick because of his seniority. For some reason, Dick had a bad feeling whenever he looked at Adam.</p><p>He groaned again and clenched his eyes shut, catching Wally's attention. He softened his look immediately, waiting for Dick to open his eyes. "You ok, baby?" Wally asked him. He groaned and tried to sit up. "See? He's fine. Now, he's still got five files to complete." Adam broke in.</p><p>Wally immediately tensed up again, snarling at Adam. "Hell no. I'm taking him home. He's got more than enough overtime to use." Wally picked him up. His head leaned against Wally's shoulder, and he started closing his eyes again. "Hey, stay with me." Wally whispered.</p><p>"I can't let you do that. Unless it's a dire medical emergency, he can't leave." "Dire? He just passed out from not sleeping for two weeks! I'd say that's dire enough. Now get out of my way." Wally growled as he started walking. Adam stepped in front of Wally.</p><p>"Babe, it's fine. I can do a few more and get finished." Dick tried to protest. But Wally shook his head. "You can work on them when you've gotten some more sleep." "I will charge this as kidnapping." Adam threatened.</p><p>Wally glared at him, giving him a version of the Bat Glare Dick had taught him. "I know everyone here. Everyone knows I'm not kidnapping him. He's getting some sleep, and then he's coming back. I'll keep him at our apartment. But charge this as kidnapping, and I promise, something very bad will happen to you."</p><p>Adam flinched, but held his ground. The chief finally came in, attracted by the yelling. "What the hell happened?" He asked when he saw Dick in Wally's arms. "He passed out from exhaustion not too long ago, and this idiot won't let him leave until he's finished. I want to take him home." "And he's not going until everything is done! We're trying to get ahead here!" "And what's one day?"</p><p>Dick whimpered. "Please don't yell so loud." It hurt his head. Wally melted immediately. "Sorry, baby." Wally kissed Dick's forehead. Dick relaxed again, his headache starting to go away.</p><p>"Adam, I don't do this often, but I have to disagree with you. Dick's in no condition to keep working. Let him leave, get some sleep, then he can come back." Adam grumbled. "I don't like this." "No one said you had to." Adam stalked away.</p><p>"So, can I take him home?" Wally asked. "Yeah. Take him home, let him sleep. I'll give him a few days off. Make sure he eats something. I don't know if he has, and from your tone of voice, you don't know either." Wally started walking again. "Thanks, chief."</p><p>Wally laid Dick down in the backseat of his car, grabbing a blanket. He covered Dick with the blanket before sitting in the driver's seat. He drove home in silence, occasionally glancing at Dick through his mirror. Dick was out like a light.</p><p>Wally pulled up to their apartment and turned off the car. He wrapped the blanket around Dick before picking him up. Dick snuggled into his chest as Wally walked upstairs. Wally unlocked the door and walked in. He carefully set Dick down on the bed, grabbing his hat and putting it on the coat rack.</p><p>He gently shook Dick awake. A tired blue orb stared at him, completely empty of energy. "Hey, baby. I know you're tired, but I need you to stay awake long enough to get changed, ok?" Dick nodded as he attempted to sit up. Wally helped him, being a support for Dick. He leaned heavily against Wally, trying to stay awake.</p><p>Wally helped him change into a loose t-shirt and sweatpants. Dick was out the second his head hit the pillow. Wally put everything up before climbing into bed with him. Wally pulled Dick close and buried himself in the blankets. Dick snuggled into him again, and Wally smiled.</p><p>When Wally woke up again, Dick was still asleep. Wally kissed his cheek before going to make breakfast. Dick shifted a little, but quickly went still again.</p><p>Wally decided on bacon. Just like how Dick loved cereal, he loved bacon. Wally made more than usual, thinking about how long Dick might've gone without eating.</p><p>Dick trudged in about fifteen minutes later. He was still tired, but it was bacon. He sat down at the breakfast bar and grabbed a plate. "Feeling better?" Wally asked, turning off the oven. "Still tired, but not as bad." "Good. By the way, the chief's given you a few days off. I want you to sleep as much as you can." Dick smiled. "No problem."</p><p>Dick ate two plates. It turns out he hadn't eaten for three days. Wally almost went crazy at the amount of self neglectance that Dick was showing. After he finished, Dick walked to the couch and collapsed. He pulled a blanket over himself and passed out.</p><p>Wally spent the day at home. He made sure Dick was alright, and that he was actually taking care of himself. Wally did that for two days.</p><p>On the third, Dick pulled on his uniform again. Wally was hesitant, but allowed him to go. Tired or not, Dick still had to finish those files, and soon. Wally drove him to work before going back to the apartment.</p><p>Dick felt much better than he had, and was able to finish all the leftover files. Every now and then, a squad™ member would come over and make sure he was alright. Dick never saw Adam that day, nor did he see him the next.</p><p>Amanda informed him that Adam had been transferred to prison guard over at Belle Reve. Something about, "his ability to push others to improve themselves." Dick was glad. Adam was pushing his extreme influence on someone who deserved it. Those prisoners weren't going to know what hit him.</p>
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<a name="section0029"><h2>29. Blast from the past</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick groaned as he opened his eyes. Everything felt heavy, and he couldn't remember where he was. He sat up and saw himself in a cage. He shook his head, trying to remember where he was and what had happened.</p><p>Something about a case…but for Nightwing or officer Grayson? They'd been looking for a little girl. She'd disappeared a few days before. Wait, who was they?</p><p>He looked outside, trying to find any clues as to what happened. There was tent all around him, but it seemed arched. Almost like…oh no. Dick looked down to see the cage suspended in the air, way above ground. If he fell, he'd never survive.</p><p>He scrambled back from the edge, memories of his parents coming back. This was a circus tent. But not just any tent. It was the tent his parents had died under. This was the pattern Haley's International Circus used. He was up on the level of the trapeze swings, a giant canary cage his only hope. He looked around wildly, searching for anything to help him.</p><p>The tent was empty. No one was in there with him. His cage was the only thing near him. The circular platforms he would throw himself from to dazzle crowds were too far. He looked down to find himself in his officer Grayson uniform. All his weapons and keys were taken. Anything that could be used to escape was taken.</p><p>He bought his knees to his chest and hid his face. He was trying to keep his breathing regular. This cage made him think of many imprisonments, and how his parents had their wings clipped. He had to get out. He had to.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Bruce looked down as his phone chimed, signaling a message. He opened it to find a video. Curious, he pressed play.</p><p>Two men popped up. Both had masks. "Hello, Mr Wayne. We're going to give you a little tour. Before you stop watching this, know that there's a little surprise at the end." One of the men said, smiling. Bruce continued watching.</p><p>"Today, we tour the location of Haley's International Circus. They've all been kicked out temporarily, so we can show you our wonderful surprise. First off, we have the lovely little trailer young Dick Grayson grew up in. Quaint, isn't it? I can see why he didn't want to leave it." That caught Bruce's attention. Why did they show Dick's old home?</p><p>"Next up, we have the animal stalls, the place where Dick Grayson never fails to go when he visits. Spent a lot of time here as a kid. Animals love him now, because they can smell all the animals he's been around. It's a shame all the animals aren't here right now. I'm sure they'd love to see him again." Bruce was getting worried.</p><p>"And for our last stop, the place where it all came crashing down. The big top, where young Dick Grayson's parents fell. Oh! We seem to have a guest!" The camera panned up to a cage, suspended by a few chains and winches.</p><p>"Looks like the star of our show has come to relive the moment. Unless, of course, thirty million dollars are brought to the old circus. Otherwise, it seems poor Dick Grayson will follow in his parents footsteps. Three days, Mr Wayne. Or the last Grayson falls."</p><p>The video ended, focused on the cage. Bruce felt his blood boiling. They'd messed with his family. They'd messed with his son. That wasn't going to go unpunished.</p><p>He called the squad™ that always protected Dick. It had gone from the six original members to the entire department, Wally, and the batfamily. What he wanted was Wally, the original six, and the bats. They all rushed over to Gotham, worried for Dick.</p><p>Bruce led them down to the Batcave. He played the video over the computer's multiple screens. The cops were mad at the kidnappers, but still intrigued. They didn't often get looks into Dick's past. The bats were just plain mad.</p><p>"How are we doing this?" Jason asked. Amanda still remembered when he came into the station drunk with the squirt. "We wait until night to get him out. They're expecting Bruce Wayne, not us. We can catch them by surprise." Batman said as he pulled up his cowl.</p><p>At the old circus, the squad™ snuck in. They surrounded the cage, where Dick was curled. His breathing was speeding up, and was very audible in the silent tent. "Dick! Dick, it's us!" Jason hissed at him.</p><p>Dick looked down and freaked. "What are you doing here? Go, get out!" This confused them. "We're here to help you." Bruce said as he put one hand on the ladder. "That would be a very bad idea."</p><p>The squad™ whirled around to see the two men. One of them held a gun, the other a remote. Dick's breathing became even more rapid. "One more step, and I drop the cage." The man pressed something on the remote. The cage dropped slightly, earning a grunt from Dick, who had been unprepared. The cage swung, and he curled into a ball again, making himself small.</p><p>The police had their guns trained on the men. All the bats had Batarangs out. Wally was vibrating with anger. The men were smirking, and Dick was trying not to panic.</p><p>The man smiled even more. "Looks like Grayson's flown his last." He pressed the button, and the chains were released. Dick was airborne, falling to the same death as his parents. "No!" Wally yelled before moving.</p><p>He grabbed rope and ran up the pole. He tied one end around the pole before leaping onto the cage. He slipped the rope around a couple of bars before leaping off and tying the other end around the other pole. The cage jolted to a stop, and Dick slammed into the bottom. He screamed as his kneecap bent wrong.</p><p>Using the rope, Wally made his way to the cage. Dick was clutching his knee, tears falling from his eyes. Wally vibrated through the cage and picked the injured bird up. Dick screamed again as his leg was moved.</p><p>Wally carefully vibrated out of the cage and ran to the ground, Dick in his arms. The squad™ rushed over when Wally set Dick down. His kneecap was cracked, a small jagged line running down the bone. It was so bad they could see it through the skin. Dick had Wally's hand in a bone crushing grip.</p><p>Wally looked over to where the two men laid on the ground. They were both bloody, and panting. Wally could see a couple broken bones.</p><p>"Wally, pick him up. We need to get him to the cave, stat." Batman said as he stood up. Wally carefully picked Dick back up, wincing at the injury. He ran as fast as he could, Dick whimpering. "It's ok, baby. We're almost home. Alfred's gonna help you, ok? But you need to stay awake." Wally whispered. Dick just groaned.</p><p>Wally ran even faster, cursing at himself. He should've been faster. He nearly lost Dick today, because he was too slow. Why hadn't he taken the remote? Why?</p>
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<a name="section0030"><h2>30. Blast from the past 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alfred rushed over as soon as he saw Wally. "In here, quickly!" Alfred shouted as he grabbed medical supplies. Wally carefully set Dick down on a gurney, trying to make it as painless as possible. Dick still screamed as his knee was moved. Wally held his hand and kissed his forehead as Alfred started.</p><p>He cut away the fabric around Dick's knee. He started taking x-rays, needing to know what he was dealing with. Dick was squeezing Wally's hand, trying to let some pent up pain out. Tears were falling from his eyes. Wally flinched, but didn't let go.</p><p>Alfred grabbed a breathing mask and placed it on Dick. He pushed Wally out before starting on surgery. Alfred put Dick under before beginning the painful process.</p><p>Outside, Wally was pacing, biting his nails. The rest of the squad™ came back not long after he was shoved out, and they all came to him. Everyone sat in one group as they waited for Alfred to finish.</p><p>Wally had tears welling up in his eyes at the thought of how much pain Dick was going through. Bruce had an arm around Wally, trying to comfort the speedster. Eventually, it became too much, and Wally hid his face in Bruce's neck. Bruce let Wally get his tears out, knowing it was better than to keep them in.</p><p>About two hours and a half later, Alfred came out. Everyone stood up, but he motioned for them to sit back down. "The injury was very bad, considering what happened. I've managed to get the kneecap back together, but he'll need to have a brace for the first few months. After that, he will be fine to walk without it, but anything more than a walk he'll need to use it. Other than that, he will be fine." Alfred informed them.</p><p>Wally wanted to sob. He'd been too slow. Dick would have to wear a brace. "Can I see him?" Alfred nodded. "He's resting, but yes. Only one at a time, though. I don't want to overwhelm him."</p><p>Wally walked into the med-bay and sat down next to Dick. Even asleep, he looked pained. Wally grabbed his hand. "Dickie, I'm so sorry. I was too slow. You're going to need a brace now. I'm so, so sorry." Wally started crying again, shoving his head in the crook of his arm.</p><p>Wally stayed right by Dick for hours. About six hours in, Alfred came to check on Dick. Wally helped Alfred change his IV and bandages. Wally flinched at the stitches going up Dick's knee, but managed to make it through everything else without a problem. When they were done, Alfred placed a hand on Wally's shoulder.</p><p>"He'll be alright, Master Wallace. He'll walk again." "I know. But I feel like I was too slow. If I'd been just a little bit faster, maybe it wouldn't be this bad." Alfred walked in front of Wally, getting his attention. "Don't you dare blame yourself. Master Wallace, you saved him. He's alive, thanks to you. It is not your fault, nor will it ever be. The fault lies in the man who pressed the button, and the men who kidnapped him. They will get what's coming to them." Alfred said.</p><p>Wally sat back down in the chair and grabbed Dick's hand again. He wasn't going to move until Dick woke up. He planted a kiss on Dick's cheek before falling asleep next to him. Dick didn't move.</p><p>Wally woke up a few hours later, and there had still been no change. Wally estimated Dick had been asleep a little over twelve hours. Wally planted another kiss on Dick's forehead, his lips unavailable. Dick started shifting.</p><p>Wally almost lost his breath. Dick groaned as he opened his eyes. "Dick!" Wally shouted as he hugged said man. Dick hugged back tiredly, the drug still going through his system. "Wally? Where am I?" Dick asked. "The med-bay. Your knee was cracked. I'm so sorry I wasn't faster."</p><p>Dick almost crushed him. "Don't you dare say that! Wally, I thought I was going to die. Your quick thinking saved me. As long as I can walk, I'll be fine." Dick exclaimed, pulling off his breathing mask. "But Dickie, you'll need a brace! A brace! I could've- mph!" Wally was cut off as Dick kissed him.</p><p>"I'll live with a brace. I'll live with a cast. But I'll live. Besides, as long as I'm alive, you've got someone to watch over you." Dick joked. Wally laughed. "Oh, really?" He started tickling Dick's sides. "Ah! Wally, stop. Please stop!" Dick said between laughs. Wally finally stopped. "Who needs to watch over who now?"</p><p>Dick panted, giggling when he could. "You are so possessive." "I have to be, or everyone would be all over my boyfriend." Wally purred as he kissed Dick again. Dick was going to be alright. And so was Wally.</p>
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<a name="section0031"><h2>31. Help me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick was in the corner of a very small room. He'd been here for weeks, but had never gotten any clue as to where he was. The only time anyone came near him was too give him food and water, which was slid through a small hatch at the bottom of the locked door. He had no shower, and probably smelled like a dumpster.</p><p>He laid on the hard bed and pulled the thin blanket around his shoulders. Whoever he was with, they weren't intent on keeping him too healthy. He shivered as the temperature in his cell dropped again. But it was a comforting cold, almost like he'd felt it before. But every time he tried to dig deeper, the cold was ripped away and he was forced back into the sweltering heat. He kicked the blanket off, just wanting the temperature to make up it's mind.</p><p>Dick shot up as the door creaked open. He froze when a man came in with several weapons. He pulled out a gun and pointed it at Dick.</p><p>What he neglected was the door he left open. Dick flipped over him before slamming the door shut. He looked around to see a completely white space. There was no clear floor, wall, or ceiling.</p><p>He looked behind him to find the door gone. He snapped back around when he heard footsteps. He froze again when he saw who it was: his parents.</p><p>They stood together, love and joy on their faces. Dick felt eight again, his parents with him. He started to run towards them. They held their arms open and urged him on, encouraging him.</p><p>He stopped when he finally saw it: his mother's eyes. They were golden, not the beautiful blue he'd inherited. He looked and saw his father with the same gold eyes. "Come on, son. You're almost home." John smiled at him. Dick started backing up. "You're not my parents. Who the hell are you?" He demanded, fury replacing his joy.</p><p>"We're your family, Dick! Your mother and father." His mother said, taking a step towards him. He shook his head. "My mother had blue eyes, not golden. And my father had blue eyes as well. So I'll ask again: who are you?" Dick spat at them. Their smiles turned to snarls.</p><p>"That's no way to treat your family. We must teach you a lesson." "You're not my family! My mother and father died! My adoptive family is still alive, and they need me!" "No, they don't. You want them to need you. You must learn we are the only family you'll ever have." John said as a whip appeared in his hand.</p><p>Dick shivered as the cold came back. John and Mary froze, literally. But it was stronger than ever, and he finally placed where he'd felt it: hospital rooms. It all came crashing back.</p><p>He was in a coma. He hadn't been locked in a room, he was locked in his mind. The man sent to "kill him" must have been there to actually kill him. His parents were figments of his mind.</p><p>"Come with me, Richard. Your time is over." The man appeared. "No. They need me back in that hospital room. They need me to wake up, and I'm not about to let them down." Dick growled, noticing a crack behind Death. Death sighed.</p><p>"They don't need you, Richard. That is what you want to believe. You need to come with me." Death helps his hand out. Dick shook his head. "No? Then tell me: what is there for you on Earth that is so great, you refused an easy death?"</p><p>Dick focused, and the white changed. He was back in his apartment, just him right now. About five minutes later, Wally came through the door soaking wet. "Sorry I'm late, babe. Traffic caught up on me." Wally explained as he set the many boxes of pizza down. "It's fine, Wally. Besides, you're the only snack I need." Dick chuckled as Wally turned red.</p><p>"Ah, a lover. But even that is not enough to persuade me. Times change." Dick was about to growl when a quiet voice rang around the room. "Baby, come back, please. I miss you. You've been out so long, a month and a half. Please." Wally. Dick saw the white begin to crack more. "You see? He's asking me to come back. I can't go with you and leave him behind."</p><p>Death was about to say something else when another voice came in. "Listen to him, Grayson. We all want you to wake up. The department's worried. The docs aren't sure you'll wake up, but you need to prove that wrong. Or we'll never let you live it down." The chief. "An entire police force wants me back. I can't go with you. Dozens of people are counting on me to wake up." The white cracked even more. It looked like if Dick stepped on it just right, it'd break.</p><p>"Please, son. Come back to us. We need you." Bruce. Dick smiled at Death. "I hope to see you later in life." That's when the white broke, and Dick started falling. But his fall slowed into a gentle decent, and it laid him on a very soft bed.</p><p>Wally held onto the hand of Dick. He'd been put in a coma after a police mission gone wrong. Everyone was starting to lose hope. But not Wally. As long as Dick was breathing, there was a chance.</p><p>Everyone in the room perked up when they heard a groan. Wally felt a squeeze, and looked up to see Dick opening his eyes. Wally laughed in joy and hugged him, placing rapid kisses on Dick's forehead. "You're awake!"</p><p>Dick grinned. "Couldn't leave you alone, Walls. You'd run yourself into the ground." Dick said, his words slurring over the tube going down his throat. Bruce left to get the doctor while everyone else crowded Dick. "So, what happened? That's a little fuzzy."</p><p>"You got shot in the stomach. You'd lost too much blood, and nearly flatlined in the ambulance. Been out about a-" "Month and a half?" "How did you know?" Dick smiled as he leaned into Wally's chest. "I heard Wally tell me. That's the first thing I heard."</p><p>The doctor and Bruce came in. "Hello, Richard! It's good to see you awake!" The doctor said. "My name's Doctor Irons. I'll be taking care of you until you're sent home. I'm going to pull out the ventilator, so try not to move too much." He said as he put one hand on Dick's chest. Wally held Dick's hand as Dr Irons pulled out the tube. Dick grunted as it came out, but it was out.</p><p>Dick held Wally's hand as Dr Irons worked on him, doing test after test. When he was finished, he left the room. Dick leaned back on the bed and closed his eyes. He felt a gentle kiss placed on his cheek before going into darkness, and staying there. No bright lights, no dreams, no voices. Just relaxing dark.</p><p>Wally kissed Dick's cheek as he drifted back into sleep. He was back. Dick was back, and he was going to be better than ever. Wally would help make sure of that.</p>
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<a name="section0032"><h2>32. You messed up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick was panicking. Wally had disappeared three days ago, and there'd been no sight of him. He was going full steam, coffee and energy drinks his best friend. Dark circles littered his eyes, and the clacking of keys was the only sound in the office.</p><p>He wanted to sob as yet another lead came to an end. He put his head in his hands and attempted to keep the tears in. He managed to do so, except for one. He wiped it off before starting over.</p><p>Amanda and Selina walked in to see the strange sight. They looked at each other before grabbing a box of donuts from the table and walking over to Dick.</p><p>He paid them no attention as he searched for his lover. Amanda set the box down on the desk, but he ignored it. Amanda and Selina looked at each other again. Grayson never ignored donuts.</p><p>"Alright, what happened?" Amanda asked. "Wally's been gone three days, he hasn't contacted me to tell me he's left for somewhere, and I've hit fifteen dead ends." Dick rubbed his face before typing again. Amanda stayed rubbing his back. "You'll find him. If you want, we'll help." Dick gave them a tired smiled. "Thanks."</p><p>They pulled up chairs as he explained what he'd been looking for: any sightings of a tall male with red hair, green eyes, and tons of freckles, as well as recordings of his voice, in case his appearance was changed. Every department in every city was on the lookout for him, but hadn't seen anything yet. He'd looked on everything from social media to cameras near old buildings. Nothing.</p><p>"Check his phone's GPS?" Selina asked. "First thing I did. Turned off." Dick sighed as he explained his first failure. "Last known location?" "Our apartment." "What about on his phone?"</p><p>That caught Dick's attention. "Not yet. Ah, I'm an idiot. Why didn't I think of that before?" Dick cursed himself. He'd forgotten to check the last location. "You're not an idiot, you're just tired." Amanda attempted. "If I wasn't, I wouldn't have gone three days without thinking of it." Selina sighed. Once Dick thought something about himself, you usually couldn't get him to change his mind.</p><p>Dick almost shouted with joy when he finally got something. Wally's last location on his phone was an old warehouse. Dick jotted down the location before standing up and grabbing his gear. Amanda stood up as well, but put a hand on Dick's chest. "Maybe you shouldn't go on this one." "It's my boyfriend, Amanda. I'm not about to sit this one out."</p><p>Selina sighed and grabbed Amanda's hand. "He's set on this one, Amanda. We can't stop him, but we can go with him." She turned to him. "We'll be accompanying, just in case he's injured. Ok?" Dick nodded. Amanda and Selina hurried over to their desks and strapped their guns to their belts before hurrying to catch up to Dick.</p><p>The whole ride was silent. Amanda still felt Dick should be at the station, and Selina didn't want to say anything to anger Dick. Dick was silent because he was mentally scolding himself for not thinking of this earlier. Wally would have been home days ago if Dick had thought of this earlier.</p><p>At the warehouse, Dick snuck away from the two women. They could've sworn he was right there, and then he was gone. "I hate when he does that." Amanda mumbled. "I agree, but it's understandable. He's worried, and he doesn't want us to get hurt." "Or get in his way." Selina lightly hit her. "Calm down. How would you feel if the person you loved more than anything disappeared? And then you find him, but you've got two people who aren't nearly as skilled as you tagging along? I'd pull a ninja act as well."</p><p>Dick was sneaking through the warehouse, looking for his love. He found Wally chained to a pole, unconscious. Dick hurried over quietly, watching for any guards.</p><p>"Wally. Wally, wake up!" Wally gasped as he snapped his eyes open. He saw a very worried Dick in front of him. "D-Dick? What are you doing here?" "Saving your ass. Cmon. I'm getting you out of here." "Don't tell me you came alone." Wally whispered as Dick started picking the cuffs. "No, Amanda and Selina accompanied me." "And you pulled the Ninja Act. You need to stop doing that." Wally scoffed as Dick unlocked the cuffs.</p><p>Dick pulled Wally up and led him through the warehouse. They found Amanda and Selina, who had mixed reactions. Both were excited at seeing Wally, but Amanda came up to Dick and slapped him upside the head. "No more ninja." Wally chuckled. "That's what I told him. But will he listen?" "Probably not." Dick joked, earning another slap.</p><p>"Alright, party's over. That's my prisoner you have there." A man stepped around the corner. Dick had Wally behind him and his gun out in seconds. Amanda and Selina followed shortly. Wally's breathing picked up, and Dick's anger grew. Wally was scared of this man, and when he was scared he had a reason.</p><p>"He's not going anywhere with you." Dick snarled, glaring at the man. "Yes, he is. If I have to kill all three of you to get to him, I will." He took a step forward. "Freeze. You move again, I won't hesitate to shoot." Dick's voice was ice cold. This surprised the two females. Dick always had joy in his voice, or something that gave it some warmth.</p><p>"You're cute, kid. Now move." The man took a step forward. Dick pulled the trigger, and he went down, holding his leg. Instead of his usual rubber bullets, Dick had actual bullets in his chamber. He flicked the hair out of his eyes and turned to the others, who had their mouths dropped open. "What? I'm not fucking around when it comes to my boyfriend."</p><p>Wally smiled and grabbed his hand. "You could've just used the rubber bullets." "Ah, but where the fun in that when I'm you're prince charming?" Dick smirked. "Haha. Now, c'mon. I want to sleep in an actual bed for once." Wally giggled. Dick kissed his cheek before leading him out, leaving the two others to deal with the man.</p><p>Selina sighed. "You can't blame him." Amanda raised an eyebrow. "No? Selina, he just used bullets. Actual bullets. That's something that he didn't have to do." "You heard him. He's not messing around when it comes to Wally." Selina looked down at the man in front of her and sighed. "You messed up, dude. You messed up bad."</p>
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<a name="section0033"><h2>33. Fire and Grayson's death wish</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick sighed when he heard the comms unit static. His shift was almost over. "We've got a major fire in an apartment complex in the heart of Blüdhaven. Any available cop needs to report there immediately."</p><p>That got Dick moving. He would've been there as Nightwing anyway. He sped off, sirens wailing. Cars made sure to get out of his way. At the fire, Dick wasted no time. He was one of the first cops on the scene, and quickly rushed to get filled in. He was about to ask when a man caught his attention. The man was trying to push past a fire fighter.</p><p>"Please, my daughter's in there! She's all I have from my wife! She's on the second to top floor." Dick looked up at the apartment complex. The top fourth was on fire. That included her floor.</p><p>He grabbed a firefighter. "Look, when more cops show up, tell them officer Grayson went in." "Wait, you can't-" Dick didn't hear the rest of that sentence. He ran into the building, ignoring the shouts from firefighters.</p><p>When Dick got to the floor, he called out. "Is anyone here?" He coughed at the end of his sentence. He looked around, straining his ears. "In here!" A small voice called out to him.</p><p>Coughing, he made his way over to the area the voice originated from. "Where?" "The bedroom!" Dick gave himself a second, then moved on. His head was starting to spin. He finally made it to the bedroom, only to see a half burned door blocking him.</p><p>Amanda and the chief had just arrived on the scene. "What's going on?" "The top third of the apartment complex is on fire, and a little girl is stuck in there. One of your guys rushed in." "Who?" Amanda almost shouted. "An officer Grayson. He went after the girl when her father was begging us to reach her." The two looked at each other. That sounded like Grayson.</p><p>"Has anyone seen him inside the building?" "No, sir. Our men are still working to clear a path to the fire. If he's in there, he's in the flames. Hope he's trained." The fighter looked up. "Don't know if I could survive that."</p><p>Dick took a couple breaths and kicked the door down. A little girl, maybe nine, was sitting on the bed. "C'mon, I'm here to help!" Dick held out his hand. The little girl jumped off the bed and raced to his side. He picked her up and cradled her to his chest before running out of the apartment.</p><p>And at the last second as well. The frame above the door gave out right as he ran through. Some of the sparks flew up, burning his skin. He stifled a scream and worked on getting the little girl out.</p><p>Dick made it down three floors he finally thought of it. He dropped to his knees and set the little girl down. "Look at me. You need to go…get help. Find some firefighters, tell them I'm a few floors up. I'm going to…make sure there are no other people here. Go, run, as fast as you can, OK? Go!" The little girl ran off, and he ran back.</p><p>Dick did quick sweeps of each apartment, making sure no one else was there. He was getting out of one when his luck finally ran out. An ember fell, catching his leg. He screamed as he hit the ground, his leg making a snap! He looked back sadly to see it angled wrong.</p><p>Dick sighed and laid his head down. So this was how he died. Not chasing some villain, not going down swinging, but to a mere fire? Not ideal, but he'd still been helping people. He was about to black out when he heard something he thought he'd never hear again.</p><p>"Grayson!" Amanda shouted, listening for the voice that said Dick was alright. Using the last of his strength, he yelled a very weak, "Here!" He blacked out, hoping Amanda heard him.</p><p>Amanda and the chief rushed into the apartment to see Grayson unconscious, his leg trapped. The two conscious cops hurried and pulled the beam off of Dick, grunting at the weight. They threw it to the side and hurried to Dick's side.</p><p>The chief sighed when he found a pulse. He picked Grayson up bridal style and ran out, Amanda on his heels. They ran into a group of firefighters who were carrying a hose. One of them volunteered to escort them out of the flames.</p><p>As soon as they were on a clear floor, the fighter rushed back. "Remind you of anyone?" Amanda asked. "Yeah. But we need to hurry if we want to get him out of this. C'mon." The chief said before running off. "Boys." Amanda sighed before running after him.</p><p>As soon as the chief walked out with Dick in his arms, the paramedics rushed to him. "I'm fine. Help him." He begged. Two of them brought a stretcher, and Dick was laid down. The cloth was cut off his leg, and the bone was set.</p><p>Amanda climbed into the ambulance with the chief, watching Dick. His breathing was very shallow, and wheezing. A breathing mask was placed on him as they neared the hospital. Amanda and the chief were directed to the waiting room while Dick was sent to the back, his breathing even worse. Amanda was twisting her ring, an action she did whenever she was nervous.</p><p>Slowly. other cops joined them. The original members first, then slowly newer members. It took three hours before they were allowed to see him. He was pale, almost as pale as the bed he rested on. He had blood, an IV, and a tube going down his throat. His leg was covered in a stark white cast, and slightly elevated. In short, he looked awful.</p><p>But his bright blue eyes were open, and he was smiling around the tube. "Well, have we learned a lesson?" Amanda asked, handing him a notepad and pen. He quickly scribbled something down and flipped it towards them. "Don't get burned. Grayson!" Amanda shouted. Dick chuckled. She was going to kill him one day, but that was OK. As long as it wasn't fire.</p>
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<a name="section0034"><h2>34. The locket</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>No one knew why Dick wore the small, gold, heart shaped locket. He didn't tell anyone, but kept it close to him. He couldn't lose this. Sure, he could deal with losing his keys, or maybe even his job, but he couldn't lose this.</p><p>But the cop that sat across from Dick didn't know that. He thought it was stupid, wearing girly jewelry. Now, if Grayson wore a chain, or maybe a small, solid ring, then sure. But a locket? He'd have to show Grayson that was a big "no."</p><p>In the courtyard, on a very slow day with all his files done, Dick sat reading a book. He was unaware of the person sneaking up behind him, or one of the people he called siblings watching through the window. He figured it out when the locket was jerked over his neck. Dick turned around so fast, Amanda said he was a blur.</p><p>"Hey! Give that back!" Dick reached for the locket. The man put his hand on Dick's chest and pushed him back, with Dick still going for the locket. "Why do you wear this thing anyway? It's not your style."</p><p>"It was a gift, now give it back!" "Oh, so it was a gift for Dickie! From who? Girlfriend? Sister?" "It was given to me by my parents, now give it back! Please!" Dick sounded like he was close to crying. The man just laughed.</p><p>Dick lunged for the locket, but the man pulled it back. "Get off of me, you gypsy trash!" He shouted before pushing Dick onto the ground and into the mud. It had rained recently, and the wet dirt spattered over his uniform. He looked up with tears in his eyes, watching the locket carefully.</p><p>The man looked over the locket. "You know, this looks like it'll fetch a nice price. I might just have to pawn this." "Don't!" Dick was getting ready to stand. "And what are you going to do? You're where you finally belong: with the other filth."</p><p>The man turned around when a punch landed on his stomach. He fell, the locket slipping out of his grasp. Amanda caught the locket, heading over to Dick. Dick was sitting up, mud staining his once white uniform and a sad look on his face.</p><p>Amanda knelt down and grabbed his hand, slipping the locket into it. Dick held it to his chest with a sigh of relief before pulling Amanda into a hug. "Thank you." Amanda pet his head, getting rid of some mud. "You'd do the same for all of us. Now, c'mon. We need to get you cleaned up."</p><p>Amanda held out her hand and offered it to Dick. He took it, slowly standing up. "And Dick?" "Hm?" "Don't listen to him. You're not trash. Trash bullies people." She directed the last line to the man.</p><p>"You've never bullied someone. You were the one who had something stolen, not the thief. As far as I'm concerned, you're cleaner than this idiot back here." Dick smiled, a few of the unused tears slipping out. "Thanks, Amanda." He slipped the locket on again, putting it under his shirt. "It's no problem. Now, let's go before the chief goes crazy." Amanda earned a laugh from Dick.</p><p>"Hey, Dick?" "Yeah?" "When you said your parents gave it to you, is that why you've been so possessive of it?" "Yeah. It's one of the last things I have from them, and it's our only family heirloom. I'll take it off for shootings and stuff that could damage it, but I wear it any other time." Dick explained as he walked back inside, the book having been picked up.</p><p>"Is there anything inside it, or is it just blank?" "There's a few pictures. Every family slipped their picture in, keeping the old ones in as well. I'll show you when I'm not as muddy." "I'd love to see it." Dick smiled. If only he could find a picture of his family small enough to fit. It was a very large family, as it consisted of every hero, the cops in Blüdhaven, and a few civilians. Yeah, Probably not going to find one small enough.</p>
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<a name="section0035"><h2>35. Training</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>manda peeked around the corner, the training gun in her hand. The chief had come up with a new exercise, one that pit the entire department against itself.  You could team up, or you could go solo. Once you were hit, you were out. They weren't real bullets, something Grayson had come up with, but she had no idea what they were exactly. They were filled with a liquid that, when under a special light, glowed. </p><p>Currently, Amanda hadn't been hit. She still had all her bullets, and was creeping around. Why did she have all her bullets? Cause she let the idiots shoot each other before moving in. They were inside a warehouse Grayson had found, and were taking it to the extreme.</p><p>Why was Grayson the one who had all this stuff? He was the one who suggested it. Amanda was sure to be thanking him later, as it showed how good she was. No one was denying it, but it felt better to have some evidence.</p><p>She spotted one of the cops just walking in the open. Unable to resist the urge, she shot him in the back. He spun around and shot at her, but she ducked behind the corner again. If that had been a real bullet, he would be dead.</p><p>Amanda giggled to herself as she shot unsuspecting victims, watching them try to figure out who had hit them. She bit her lip when she hit the chief, holding in a laugh. It didn't come to her attention that she hadn't seen Grayson at all.</p><p>After almost an hour of getting people out, she was the last one left. Or, the last one she could see. "Aw, crap. Grayson, where are you?" She yelled. "Is someone not feeling the aster?" Oh no. He was using the words again.</p><p>Amanda couldn't pinpoint where Dick was. His voice bounced around the warehouse walls, echoing around itself. "I swear, Grayson." "What's wrong? You're obviously not whelmed, and you're no where near traught. Are you chalant?"</p><p>Amanda grunted as Dick's bullet hit her shoulder. But it wasn't from behind, it was from…above? "Get out of the rafters!" She shouted. "Aw, but Amanda!" Dick whined. "How the hell did you even get up there?" "Secret."</p><p>"Are you pouting?" "It's no fun when you're forced down." "I swear, you act like you're five." "Only on a scale of one to five." Amanda smacked him upside the head. "Never do that again." "Aw."</p>
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<a name="section0036"><h2>36. Are you serious?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"…Ayson? Grayson, can you hear me?" Dick groaned as he opened his eyes, his head pounding. What had happened?</p><p>"Grayson? You there?" "Chief?" Dick's voice was weak, as if he'd lost it. "Yeah, it's me. How you feeling?" "Like I got hit with an eighteen wheeler. You?" Dick groaned as he shifted, his arms suspended above his head. "Not much better. You remember anything?"</p><p>Dick wracked his brain, but everything was painful. "N-no." He groaned as his side started throbbing. He pulled on the restraints slightly, but they didn't give.</p><p>Dick looked up slowly, giving himself time to register. He looked around and saw a small room, the chief sitting across from him. He also had his hands above his head. Besides them, it was empty.</p><p>"You remember anything?" The chief shook his head. "I'm blanking as well. What's the last thing you remember?" "Going on patrol when something was called in. You and I were the first ones there. I don't remember where "there" was."</p><p>"We'd gone in as well. Teamed up and went to see what was going on." "This always happens to me. You ever notice that?" "Too much. Let's try not to make it anymore of a habit that it already is."</p><p>Both of the men turned towards the door as footsteps approached. The door slammed open, causing Dick to flinch. His headache had not liked that. "Rise and shine, boys! I need something from you two."</p><p>Dick looked up to see an unknown woman standing in the doorframe. "What do you want?" The chief snarled at her. "I want information, of course! Here's how we're going to do it."</p><p>She walked over and clipped some sort of metal collar onto Dick. "This is a shock collar. You withhold information, or you give me an answer I don't like, he gets a shock. We clear?" The chief nodded, watching the woman.</p><p>"Now, what were you two doing snooping around here?" "We're a little fuzzy on that ourselves. What we do know is that dispatch had called something over the intercoms, and we were the first two here. That's all we know right now." The woman nodded. When nothing came, Dick realized she was satisfied with that answer.</p><p>"What are your names?" "I just go by chief. That's Grayson." She frowned, but nothing came once again. Dick was getting a little nervous.</p><p>"How much do you care for him?" "What?" "You obviously care enough to give me the information. How much do you care for him?" "He's like a little brother to me." "Then, it'll bother you if I do this?"</p><p>Dick screamed as the electricity shocked him, the voltage much more than a simple shock. "Dick! Stop it, yes it does!" The electricity died down, and Dick went limp. He could hear the crackle of the electricity in the collar, and could feel his right eye twitching.</p><p>"That's the punishment for not answering my questions. Now, how can I get into the precinct?" "It's supposed to be impenetrable. Every wall has two cameras, at least, and any glass is bullet proof. The doors constantly have someone watching them, so you can't sneak in. The vents aren't large enough to go in, and there's no roof access. We're not Gotham."</p><p>She frowned again. "I didn't particularly like that answer." Dick screamed again and writhed, trying to escape the pain. "Leave him alone!" "Then tell me how to get in!" "There is no way! Even if I showed you blueprints, there's no way in!"</p><p>She thought, and smiled. "Yes there is. All I need is a chief and an injured cop to let me in." Dick looked up weakly as she walked over again, barely keeping his eyes open. "You are going to be essential to my plan," she grabbed his chin harshly. "So I'll need you in bad shape. No offense, but I need him awake enough to give the demands." She let his head go.</p><p>Dick pulled and writhed as the electricity worked it's way through his body, trying to escape. She kept going, even after the chief started pleading with her to stop. Black dots lined his vision, and he was more than happy to go with them.</p><p>The chief growled at her. "We answered your questions. Why'd you knock him out?" She knelt down and pet the side of his head. "It's one thing to just have the chief. But an injured colleague as well? It's just more persuasion. Don't worry about him. He'll be fine, if they cooperate."</p><p>The chief grit his teeth and focused on Dick again. He hung limply, his breathing labored. His face looked like he was more peaceful than pained. The chains creaked as his weight was put completely on them. He needed to figure a way out, and quick. Grayson's life depended on it.</p>
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<a name="section0037"><h2>37. Are you serious? 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The chief looked up as the woman walked in again. Dick was still unconscious, and he hadn't found a way out yet. "I'm going to unlock your cuffs. You're to stand up and stay where you are, or I will shock him until his heart gives out. Am I making myself clear?" The chief nodded.</p><p>She unlocked the cuffs before walking over to Dick. Even when she moved him around, he stayed still and unresponsive. The chief stood up, watching her every move.</p><p>Once his hands were no longer around the bar, she cuffed them together again and slung him over her shoulder. "Move. Stay within my line of sight. If I can't see you, he pays the price." He turned to her. "I can carry him if you want."</p><p>"You'll just run off." "You've got the remote to the collar, you've got his life on it. If I try anything, you could probably fry him before I take two steps. And no offense, but you look like you're struggling to keep his weight up. If you let me carry him, it'll be easier for both of us." "Fine. But the rules still apply. You go out of my sight, you don't do something I say, he takes the fall."</p><p>She slung Dick off her shoulders and into the chief's arms. Dick weakly groaned before going still again. The chief held Dick in an awkward bridal style as the woman led him to a car. He could only hope Dick remained unconscious, or the woman might try to shock him again.</p><p>She opened the door and motioned for the chief to set Dick down. He laid Dick down as carefully as he could, trying not to wake him. "Get in the front seat. Do not touch anything." The chief looked down at Dick once more before climbing out of the back.</p><p>He sat on the leather seat, watching through the rearview mirror. The woman was covering Dick with a blanket, effectively hiding the cuffs and collar. The light rising and falling of his chest was the only thing that told the chief Dick was even alive.</p><p>The ride was silent. The woman had a satisfied smirk, as if her plan had already worked. The chief was busy focusing on Dick, who was still unconscious. He looked like a child, bundled up in the blanket, his face completely at peace. It was strange, especially since this was the same man who usually never had anything but a smile on his face.</p><p>At the precinct, the woman ordered the chief out. She stepped out herself and watched as the chief grabbed Dick once again, keeping the blanket wrapped around his body. Dick groaned and weakly opened his eyes. Thankfully, they fluttered shut again, and the woman hadn't noticed.</p><p>"I need you to act unconscious, ok?" The chief whispered, walking over to the woman. Dick didn't respond, but the chief had a feeling he'd gotten the message. That is, if he wasn't actually unconscious.</p><p>Amanda rushed out, planning on giving the to a piece of her mind, when she saw the cuffs on the chief. One look told her this was a hostage situation. "What's going on?" She demanded, Selina, Tom, and Brutus joining her.</p><p>"You've got an old family friend of mine. I want him out. Would you like to explain why I can do that?" She turned to the chief, who growled. "She's got a powerful shock collar on Grayson. One wrong move, and he's dead. Let her in." Dick's breathing had become stronger.</p><p>"Chief!" "There's an order, Amanda! Do you want him to die?" For the first time in her entire career, Amanda saw tears in the chief's eyes. He was terrified the woman was going to kill Dick.</p><p>Underneath the blanket, Dick was picking the locks to the cuffs. He'd been awake, but the chief yelling had told him how bad the situation really was. He'd gotten one hand free, and was working on the other.</p><p>The woman stepped forward with a smirk. "See, I've got the advantage. It's let me in, or he dies! Simple, right? So, I'll be needing the keys." She held her hand out.</p><p>The chief was panicking. He'd failed. The woman was getting what she wanted, and he couldn't stop it. Dick was injured, and the electrical shocks had left him in a bad condition. This was one of the lowest points the department had seen.</p><p>Dick had finally picked the lock as the woman walked past. Every instinct said roll out of the chief's arms and knock her down, but he still had the collar on. His life was still in her hands. He really hated that collar.</p><p>As soon as the woman walked in, the chief set Dick down and began examining the collar. It had a buckle clasp, and didn't seem to have any other locks. Dick groaned and opened his eyes as the chief undid the clasp, his head starting to hurt.</p><p>"Hey, you ok?" The chief asked, gently removing the collar. "My head and neck hurts. Other than that, I think I'm ok." Dick said as he started unwrapping the blanket. "Where's the woman?"</p><p>"She went inside the precinct. She doesn't know we have the collar off. Can you stand?" The chief grabbed his arm, oblivious to the fact that the others had gone after the woman. "Yeah, I should be able to."</p><p>Dick leaned on the chief as he stood up, getting readjusted. His neck burned from where the collar had shocked him. "You got the cuffs off already?" "Yeah. The woman had announced that we had her family friend when I started. And chief? Don't blame yourself. I don't know if I'd have done anything different."</p><p>The chief observed Dick's neck. It was at least a second degree burn, with some areas bleeding. "We've got to get you first aid." "That's probably a good idea. How bad?" "At least second degree. Let's see if you can walk yet."</p><p>The two cops walked, in Dick's case limped, not expecting the scene inside. The woman was on the ground, Amanda pinning her arms behind her back. "Well, now we know who to call when I'm injured." Dick joked.</p><p>"So, that makes this your, what, third time this month getting kidnapped?" Selina asked. "You know me." "Are you serious?" Selina laughed. "I gotta keep that kidnapped streak up." "How about we do it without getting injured?" "Ah, but where's the fun in that?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0038"><h2>38. Attacked</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The chief had a bad feeling, like a rock in his stomach. He didn't know why, but he'd learned to trust his gut. Especially in his line of work, with the people he worked with.</p><p>He counted as everyone came in. There was Amanda, still a spitfire, like always. Brutus, still stone faced. Dick seemed to be the only one to get him to smile. Selina and Tom came in together, chatting as they sipped coffee. James came in, a smile on his face as he said hello.</p><p>But where was Grayson? He was almost always here early, unless he'd had a late night. There had been nothing on the news about Nightwing, so he wasn't injured. Most likely. Dick always had a way of surprising him.</p><p>He called Dick's house, just to be sure. The phone rang before Dick's voicemail came on, telling the chief to call later. He frowned. Dick always answered his phone, unless...unless he was hurt.</p><p>"Chief! Get in here, you need to see this!" Amanda shouted. The chief hurried to his office, where Amanda had the news turned on. "...In other news today, Richard "Dick" Grayson, son of billionaire Bruce Wayne, was kidnapped at gunpoint in Gotham. It is believed he was kidnapped as part of the gang war between the Pythons, Jokers, and Black Mask. There is no word from the police on his location, or any plan to get him back. Bruce Wayne has only asked for his son to return home, safe and uninjured."</p><p>The chief didn't know what to say. His gut had been correct, but at what cost? Dick was who knows where, possibly caught in the crossfire of a gang war in Gotham. "What do we need to do?" Amanda asked. "We'll join forces with Gotham. It's our officer that was taken, which gives us probable cause to come. Then, once we figure out which gang took him, we get him out."<br/>➰➰➰<br/>When Dick woke up, he was very confused. The bed was soft, and warm. The room was dark, but Dick could see walls and dressers that looked no different from his own. Hadn't he been kidnapped? He tried to sit up, but was pushed down. He looked over to see an older man sitting in a chair.</p><p>"Stay down, son. You've got a nasty concussion." "Where...am I?" "An apartment complex in downtown Gotham. Big Z decided you could be a valuable asset in the war." "Big Z?" "Gang leader of the Pythons. We're in a bit of an argument with the Black Masks, who are teamed up with the Jokers. You were unlucky enough to get caught in the crossfire."</p><p>"What's gonna happen...with me?" "Black Mask agrees to pay Big Z, and you go home. Otherwise, you just stay here until he does. You'll go home, kiddo. Don't worry. Black Mask has a few companies that are tied to Wayne Enterprises, and losing them would be detrimental to his company." The man smiled. Now that Dick's eyes adjusted, he could see the man better.</p><p>He was Asian, from where exactly Dick couldn't tell. He had a few tattoos, including a python on his neck. He wore a leather jacket, a red shirt with a yellow-brown python, black jeans, and combat boots. He had one ear pierced, and a stud above his left eyebrow.</p><p>Dick groaned as his head started throbbing. "You ok, kid?" "My head hurts. I'll be fine." "You're tougher than most rich kids I know. Most would be whining about everything from the lighting to their nails." "Was born in a circus. Learned the tougher way of life before being pampered. Kinda had to learn how to handle pain."</p><p>"Name's Dane. Know who you are, kid." "Being the son of a billionaire does that." Dick chuckled. "If you don't mind me asking, where did I get a concussion from?" "Some of the men were a little rough with you, and you hit your head hard on some metal in the van. Big Z wasn't happy with that, and demanded that you be treated. You managed to stay conscious for a while, but you probably don't remember it. Now get some sleep. You'll be home before you know it."</p><p>Dick's eyes started closing. He hadn't realized how tired he was. He turned to his side and pulled the blankets closer, drifting off. Dane sighed with relief once he heard soft snores. Most of the time, he had to inject a sedative into the kidnapped kids. He was happy to finally get a kid who listened, especially when it came to sleeping.</p><p>Dick slept through the evening and morning, waking up in the afternoon. Dane gave him water and cereal, saying he needed to take it easy with his eating. Dane and Dick looked up as the door opened. Another man walked in, nodded, and walked out.</p><p>Dane sighed. "Showtime, kid. I've been nice to you. Don't know if anyone else will be." "It's ok. Just don't kill me." "Not on the agenda. I'll have to bind your arms. Probably blindfold you." "Only request is that the blood can still flow. Don't need to be losing any hands." "Smart kid. Medical studies?" "With an overprotective dad? Multiple."</p><p>Dane helped Dick sit up and tied his hands behind his back. Like he asked, the ropes were just tight enough so blood could still flow. Dick stood up, and Dane led him slowly through the halls. "When we get to Big Z, and I'll tell you when, keep your head down. If you're not already, try to only show fear. It'll be better in the long run."</p><p>Dick nodded. "So, how did you get into the gang?" "My pa was a Python. When I was born, he decided then and there I was going to be a Python as well. Grew up here. If something happens to Big Z, I'm in charge. That's how I know fear is best. Show fear, they'll see you as something under them. Can't possibly be a threat if you're scared of them." Dick nodded again, seeing the logic.</p><p>"Alright, head down. Don't let them see your eyes. Try not to make too much noise. Only one who sees your eyes is me and Big Z. Got it?" "Got it." Dane led him into a room, gripping his arm.</p><p>"So, this is the boy?" "Yes, sir. He's ready for ransom." "His concussion?" "Healed enough for the trade to go easily. He's responsive, and follows orders." "Really? Kid, look up but don't open your eyes." Dick followed, keeping his eyes closed. "So he does. That makes things so much easier. Listen to me." A hand grabbed his chin, making him flinch. Z was that close to him? "We're gonna be telling you to do a few things. Follow those directions, and you'll get home injury free. Nod if you understand."</p><p>Dick nodded. The hand holding his chin patted his cheek roughly. "Get him to the van. Dane, you with him at all times. Blindfold him, so he can't lead 'em back to us. Move now." Someone, who he assumed was Dane, grabbed his arm again and led him out.</p><p>"You did good, kid. The flinch was a nice touch." "Didn't know he was that close. Startled me." "I'll bet. Anyway, you heard him. Once you're in the van I'll have to blindfold you. Just stay quiet, keep following directions, and you'll be fine." "Thanks for the heads up." "It's no problem. Big Z and our gang takes better care of our prisoners. If they're injured, Big Z wants them treated. It gives the person more reason to pay the ransom, if one gang takes better care of their prisoners."</p><p>Dick nodded. Dane led him to a utility van and had him sit in the back. Dick heard the door close, and Dane step closer. "Alright, kid. I'm about to blindfold you. Don't freak." Dick felt the rough cloth placed over his eyes, and he started having second thoughts. What if they weren't taking him to Black Mask? What if they were just moving him? We're they going to kill him?</p><p>"Alright, it's done. You can relax, kiddo." Dick calmed down somewhat, but not a whole lot. Dane, he trusted. The others? Not so much. Dane sat down beside him, and Dick leaned into him. Dane put his arm around Dick, smiling slightly. What could he say? He liked cuddly people, and Dick was very cuddly. After a few minutes, Dick drifted off again, snoring softly. Maybe they were taking him to Mask. Maybe they would keep their word.</p>
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<a name="section0039"><h2>39. Attacked 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick groaned as he was woken up. "C'mon, kid, wake up. Just a little more to go, then you're home." "Hmm. Don't wanna." "I know, but you need to walk some. We need to convince Mask to pay the ransom." Dick sighed and allowed Dane to pull him to his feet.</p><p>"Careful, it's the step down. I'll hop down first, and you can follow. Ready?" Dane grabbed his arm as he hopped down, putting a hand on his chest to steady him. Once he was reoriented, Dane started walking again.</p><p>Dick leaned against Dane as they walked, still slightly drowsy. He was processing things a little slower than usual. Didn't occur to him the concussion might be the problem. It never usually did, he'd had them so many times.</p><p>Eventually, Dane stopped. Dick could hear many pairs of feet shuffling around, and could tell he was easily surrounded. "What's this?" Black Mask's voice rang out. "A little trade. You give us one million, we return Dick Grayson." Big Z said, no more than three feet away.</p><p>"Really? And why would I do that?" "Because we happen to know several companies you're tied to have connections with Wayne Enterprises. When Wayne finds out you didn't pay the ransom, therefore forcing his son into imprisonment for a longer period of time, he's not gonna be too happy. Might pull back, and that'll destroy your career. Nothing happens to Dickie over here, he just stays away from home longer. You, on the other hand, will be losing more and more. So, it's one million with your companies still going full force, or lose everything. It's a simple choice, mister Mask."</p><p>Dick heard a growl. "And how can you guarantee Wayne will pull back?" "It's his kid. If one hair on his head was missing, he'd pull back immediately. It's your choice. Just your future at risk. Pythons will be fine. Grayson with be fine. You and the Jokers? Nothing left for ya. Checkmate." Dick swallowed nervously, a lump stuck in his throat. He could almost hear the reluctance in Mask's voice.</p><p>"You'll get it by the end of the week. You do anything to him-" "Don't worry. He'll be in mint condition. Pythons, move out." Dick was dragged away again, in the middle of shuffling feet. Bruce was going to kill him when he got back. Why? He'd let himself get captured and get thrown into this. Bruce would let him deal with it. He wouldn't pull anything out.</p><p>Dick leaned into Dane on the ride back, silent with a frown on his face. Dane noticed, but couldn't do anything. He didn't know what was bothering the kid. Something was clearly wrong, he just had to figure out what.</p><p>In the room where he woke up, Dick was unbound. He climbed into bed and sighed, pulling the blankets around him. "What's up, kid? You're not normally so...frowny." "My dad wouldn't pull out of anything. I got myself into this mess, so I've got to get myself out of it. Even if it was at gunpoint, I went with you, completely conscious of my decision. Bruce would recognize that. That's just the way it's always been."</p><p>Dane frowned. "You sure? He's always seemed proud of you. Why wouldn't he pull out?" "He has to. A circus orphan he just up and adopted? He's gotta act proud of that. In reality, he seems to find something to be disappointed in." "Ever thought he was just trying to push you to be better?" "Multiple times. It just got worse as time went on. All I seem to really get anymore is, "you can do better." That's all. It's always below standards."</p><p>Dane didn't know what to do. His old man had already been proud of Dane. "And, now that I'm here, no offense, but it's just another reason for him to be disappointed. He's not gonna do anything." Dick sighed. "I may not know much about your actual lives, but I can read people. We had to watch your schedule before we could grab you, and every time I saw your old man with ya, I saw real pride. He was proud of you, whether he said so or not. Trust me, your old man cares. He may just have a different way of showing it."</p><p>Dane didn't get an answer. He sighed and pulled the blanket up further. "Trust me, kid. Your dad loves you more than anything. Seen the look on my pa multiple times, and I've seen it on Bruce. He's proud of ya. He's not gonna stand around when you're in trouble. He'll come for ya." Dick stayed silent once again, leading Dane to think he'd fallen asleep.</p><p>Dick hadn't. He'd been awake, listening to Dane talk. If Bruce loved him, why was he always so disappointed in Dick? Had he done something wrong? Something that had caused Bruce to show love only through pointing out his mistakes? Or maybe it was something that had always been. Dick didn't know anymore.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>The chief shook Gordon's hand as they walked in. "Thank you for letting us join you." "It's no problem. Know the kid personally. Joined in on a few mission with him. He's your cop anyway. I couldn't have stopped you legally." "What exactly happened?"</p><p>"The Waynes have a festival they do every summer. It raises money for the poorer side of Gotham, a charity thing. The Pythons attacked, holding everyone at gunpoint. Grayson was the one they wanted, and they took him. We've got the license plate, but we can't find the van. Our search online just confirmed that it belonged to a Python member."</p><p>"They call him Big Z. From what we can gather, he's the leader of the whole shebang. The escape, though, was a little rough, and could've injured Grayson. We don't know yet. There's been no activity for a while." Harvey explained, biting on his iconic toothpick.</p><p>The chief frowned. "Is there a known location for the Pythons? Or some area the gangs are known to meet at?" "No meeting areas yet. We know where Black Mask is stationed, and the Jokers move around. We've had a problem in location the Pythons. They're one of Gotham's smaller gangs, so warehouses would probably be out of the question. Big Z is the only member confirmed besides Dane Wickham, the son of Miles Wickham. Anyone else is a mystery, making it harder. Grayson could be anywhere from the harbor to the other end of Gotham."</p><p>Amanda growled. "So we've got nothing." "Basically. The tracker than Wayne always has Dick wear is turned off. He's not answering his phone, and we can't get a GPS signal." "What about the cops around the city? Have they seen anything?" "If they have, they haven't called it in.  Wayne's offered to help, but there's not a whole lot he can do."</p><p>"Does he have his badge?" Tom asked. "Yeah. He was one of the people keeping the peace at the festival. Why?" "I'm thinking. Why go after just one of Bruce's sons if all of them were there?" "They went after the officer. The one who's in danger the most." "The one they assumed Bruce would worry the most about." "There's more to this than meets the eye. They're up to something, and I don't think it's just a ransom. They want to win the war." "So? Why grab Grayson?"</p><p>"Black Mask is tied in to a lot of companies. Who's the biggest company in Gotham?" "Wayne Enterprises." "My guess is their trying to force Mask to pay the ransom. Think about it. Wayne would've called us if there was a ransom sent his way. The Pythons need to knock the Masks and the Jokers out. The last two are teaming up against the Pythons. They need some way to make Mask lose his power. That's where Grayson comes in. If Mask starts losing companies who are tied to Wayne Enterprises, he loses power, and the Pythons take over."</p><p>Everyone stared at Tom. "You're smarter than you look, kid." Tom shrugged. "Not my first hostage situation. Now, are we going to look into this or what?" Gordon nodded. "Let's get him back."</p>
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<a name="section0040"><h2>40. Attacked 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dane looked over at the bed, where Dick laid. It had been two days since their little heart to heart, and Dick had been silent. He'd stayed in the bed, refusing to eat. Big Z didn't seem too concerned, though. Grayson was going to be gone in a few days anyway.</p><p>"Dick? You OK over there? You've been pretty quiet." Silence. Dane sighed. "Still think your dad's disappointed in you?" "Wouldn't you?" Dane was surprised. That was the first Dick had spoken in two days.</p><p>"Don't really know. My old man made sure I knew he was proud of me." "My case is a little more unsure than yours." "I know kiddo, but you gotta have a little faith in your dad. He's gonna come, once Mask pays the ransom." "And I'll just have more comments about how I could've done something to change this."</p><p>Dane sighed. "You're not gonna believe me, are ya?" "Not till it happens. Don't get me wrong, I trust you, I just don't trust myself. I swear, it's nothing about you." "It's ok, kid. I get it. I just wish I could change your mind."</p><p>Dane pulled Dick into a hug, which shocked the younger. "It may not count as much, but I'm proud. Not many can go through what you are and stay as calm as you. Like I said before, I've seen what you do. If that ain't enough to make your dad prouder, he's proud enough. He loves you. It may not seem that way, but he does love you."</p><p>Dick hugged back, tears in his eyes. "Thank you. I don't know what came over me." "You're tired, stressed, and probably scared. You're just not used to it at the same time. You were looking for something to let it out on. I've seen it before, only it usually comes in the form of tempers."</p><p>Dick wiped his eyes, pulling back from the hug. "Now, I think it's time to eat. You're probably hungry." "A little." "Don't gotta be shy, kid. You're probably starving. I'm gonna grab a sandwich or two. Stay here, and if anyone comes in, close your eyes."</p><p>Dick nodded, laying back down. Dane walked off, and Dick heard the door close. He closed his eyes, sleep on his mind. He didn't expect the door to open.</p><p>He immediately clenched his eyes shut. Someone walked over to him, soft footsteps the only indication. Dick flinched when a finger started running up the back of his neck, making him shiver slightly. The skin was cold.</p><p>The hand moved to the chain he wore. Dick could feel it tracing the pattern, pressing it down into his skin. It slowly moved up his neck, getting closer to his face. What were they doing?</p><p>The finger started going up his chin, getting closer to his ear. He could feel the skin starting to warm from where it stole his body heat. It traced his helix, moving over the curved skin. Dick curled up on himself, and the finger was gone. They thought he was asleep.</p><p>The door opened again, and he heard two clinks. "What are you doing here, Big Z?" "Getting a closer look at the boy. He's not as scared as the others. Why not?" "He's a police kid. He's learned to get rid of his fear." "True, but what else? Look at the way he shivers when I touch him. He's scared of something."</p><p>Dick shivered as a colder finger went up his neck again. "You do got some cold fingers. He may be shivering from that." "Maybe, or maybe not. His condition has been...strange recently, no?" "It has, but he's started talking again. What's left?" "His eating habits. You ever known a rich boy to refuse food?" "He was a carnie before being rich. No guarantee of food."</p><p>"You seem strangely protective of this one." "He's grown on me. He gets comfortable in any situation quickly, and he listens to what we say. You know most kids ain't like that." "You know what will happen when the ransom is paid." "Yes, I do. Just wish I could get to know the kid better. His pa seems proud of him, but he thinks the old man is disappointed in him."</p><p>Big Z hummed. The hand removed itself, and Dick had to restrain himself from leaping out of the bed. "It doesn't look like Mask will be paying the ransom for a few days. Might make a call to daddy, get him to start withdrawing from companies."</p><p>Dick heard footsteps walk away, and heard a sigh. "You can open your eyes, Dick. He's gone." Dick cracked his eyes open and rubbed his neck, where Z had touched it. "You OK?" "His hands are freezing. Food?" Dane smiled and handed him a sandwich.</p><p>Dick wolfed it down, making Dane relax. The sandwich was soothing to his grumbling stomach, which was unhappy with the lack of food it had gotten recently. Dick had just finished when the door slammed open.</p><p>Dick shut his eyes again and drew his knees to his chest. A hand grabbed his chin and forced him to look up, even though his eyes were still closed. "Here's the deal, kid. We're gonna make a quick call to your daddy. You can talk, but only when we say so. Nod if you understand." Dick nodded, panting slightly. Z startled him time and time again, and it was starting to get nerve wrecking.</p><p>The hand let go, and a phone started ringing. It was waiting for Bruce to pick up, so they could tell him Mask hadn't paid yet. Dick wrapped his arms around his knees and hid his face, waiting to hear something.</p><p>"Hello? How may I help you?" Dick wanted to sob when he heard Alfred's voice. "We're looking for a Mr Wayne. We've got something of his I'm sure he'd love to get back, and wanted to talk to him about it." "Of course. One moment."</p><p>A few seconds later, the phone got handed to Bruce. "This is Bruce Wayne." "Mr Wayne. We happen to have something of yours, and wanted to say hello." A hand gripped his shoulder, and he figured that was the signal.</p><p>"Bruce?" "Dick? Dick, are you alright?" "I-I'm fine. I've got a concussion, but that's it." "Hang on, Dickie. I'm going to get you out of this, OK?" "Yeah. Yeah, I hear you."</p><p>"See? He's fine. Now, if it hasn't been brought to your attention, we've instructed Black Mask to pay a million dollars, and we'll release dear Dickie over here." The hand tightened, and Dick gasped. "Unfortunately, he has not paid yet. We happen to know he's in contact with a few companies that are tied with you. You better hope he pays soon, or Dickie might just have to stay here with us."</p><p>Big Z threw his arm over Dick's shoulders and pulled him closer, causing him to whimper. The arm tightened, threatening to cut Dick's air off. "And we wouldn't want that, would we? He promised to pay by the end of the week, but there's been no sign of him paying yet. He might need a little...persuasion. Goodbye, Mr Wayne. Hope to send him back soon."</p><p>The call ended, and the arm was gone. "Good job, kid. I think you've got him convinced. I can see why Dane likes you. Dane, you're still on Grayson duty." "Yes sir."</p><p>The door closed again, and Dane put his hand on Dick's shoulder. "Hey, you OK? Please don't go silent on me again." Dick launched forward and pulled Dane into another hug, crying slightly. "I wanna go home. I want to see my dad again." "I know, kid. I know. The ransom should be coming any day now. It's gonna be OK. Your dad knows, and he's gonna help. You're not gonna be here much longer. So wipe those tears away, and deep breaths. You're almost home."<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Alfred and Bruce were at the station, having been called about Tom's idea. Alfred's phone started ringing, and he left the room. "Hello? How may I help you?" "We're looking for a Mr Wayne. We've got something of his I'm sure he'd love to get back, and wanted to talk to him about it." "Of course. One moment."</p><p>Alfred walked back in, giving the cops the look that said "track it." He handed the phone to Bruce, who waited for Gordon to nod before talking. "This is Bruce Wayne."</p><p>"Mr Wayne. We happen to have something of yours, and wanted to say hello." Bruce waited, until he heard a quiet, "Bruce?" He paled. "Dick? Dick, are you alright?" "I-I'm fine. I've got a concussion, but that's it." "Hang on, Dickie. I'm going to get you out of this, OK?" "Yeah. Yeah, I hear you." Bruce looked over at Amanda, who held up ten fingers and slowly counted down. Ten seconds.</p><p>"See? He's fine. Now, if it hasn't been brought to your attention, we've instructed Black Mask to pay a million dollars, and we'll release dear Dickie over here." Bruce heard Dick gasp, and waited for the man to talk again.</p><p>"Unfortunately, he has not paid yet. We happen to know he's in contact with a few companies that are tied with you. You better hope he pays soon, or Dickie might just have to stay here with us." Bruce heard a quick shuffle, and Dick whimper. His blood started boiling.</p><p>"And we wouldn't want that, would we? He promised to pay by the end of the week, but there's been no sign of him paying yet. He might need a little...persuasion. Goodbye, Mr Wayne. Hope to send him back soon." The call ended, and Bruce looked over at the others.</p><p>Amanda nodded. They'd gotten the location. The squad™, Gordon, and Harvey strapped their guns to their belts and hurried out. The chief walked up to Bruce. "1709 Main Street. Batman will be needed on this one." He whispered before walking away.</p><p>Alfred knew by the look on Bruce's face what the chief had said. "It's in the car. Shall I fetch it?" "If you don't mind. Dick needs us."</p>
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<a name="section0041"><h2>41. Attacked 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick was laying in the bed, curled up. The call had only made him homesick, and made him lose his appetite. Dane tried everything, but Dick just wouldn't eat. There were times Dick had to hold back tears, or risk sobbing.</p><p>Dane ran his fingers through Dick's hair, trying to comfort him in any way possible. The call hadn't done anything good for the kid. The longer Dick spent with the Pythons, the worse he seemed to be. He barely acknowledged Dane's presence anymore.</p><p>Dane sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed, gaining Dick's attention. He wrapped Dick in a blanket and sat next to him. Dick leaned into Dane, who threw a comforting arm around his shoulders.</p><p>Dick fell asleep again, pressing into Dane. Dane had figured out that the kid loved friendly contact, but never imagined it was so bad he needed contact almost daily.</p><p>What, exactly, had made Big Z choose Dick? Being the leader, he chose all the hostages, and therefore had chosen Dick. But he always had a reason for choosing certain people. What was the reason for choosing Dick?</p><p>Dane felt himself drifting off as well. Being next to Dick's warm body, in a comfortable position, and tired were a bad mix. But he couldn't move, because Dick was already asleep. Unfortunately, he couldn't stay awake much longer. He closed his eyes and leaned his head on Dick's, sleeping with the young boy.</p><p>When he woke up again, he heard running. The door slammed open, and Big Z ran in. "What's going on, boss?" "The police found us. They're inside, looking for the kid. Damn cops."</p><p>Z walked over to the kid and shook him awake. Dick groaned, but quickly snapped awake when he saw Big Z. Z pulled out a gun and held it to Dick's forehead, hand around his neck. "How the hell do the police know you're here?" "I don't know! I honestly don't!"</p><p>Big Z forced Dick to stand up and quickly wrapped his arm around the younger's neck. "You make a sound, you're dead. And you, get out of here. If I'm killed, you need to escape and rally any remaining Pythons. Go down the fire escape, and go to the one by the harbor. Don't let them catch you." Dane sent one look at Dick before disappearing out the window.</p><p>Big Z tightened his grip around Dick's neck, slowly cutting the air off. Dick whimpered and clenched his eyes shut, waiting for something. "Stay still. I'm going to tie your arms behind your back, and you're going to remain silent. Understand?" Dick nodded.</p><p>The arm released his neck, and he gasped for air. He was forced against the wall, the ropes being tied around his wrists much tighter than they should've been. Once they were on, Z pulled him to his chest again and rewrapped his arm.</p><p>Three officers burst into the room, guns in front of them. Z held his gun to Dick's head and pulled him in front, creating a shield. "Drop him, Z. You know there's no way out." The chief. It was the chief!</p><p>"Ransom ain't been paid yet. He's still ours, and you ain't taking him from us." Z tightened his grip around Dick's neck again, causing Dick to start panting.</p><p>"You've got no way out. Let him go, or we shoot." "Shoot what? You fire those guns, them bullets going through the kid. Checkmate." Gordon growled, seeing how Dick was starting to suffocate.</p><p>Dick looked over to the window, where a very familiar shape was swinging fowards. Dick smiled weakly, causing Z to look over. Just in time to receive a boot to the face. Z collapsed to the floor while Batman caught Dick, cradling him to his chest. Dick nuzzled into Batman, tears lining his eyes.</p><p>Z stood up, wiping his mouth. "Are you serious? You know how much effort it took me to get this far? To get that kid here, and get the ransom out? And now it's been wasted." "You should think before you call someone, especially a father who's desperate to see his son again. You made a big mistake." Batman replied, unconsciously pulling Dick closer.</p><p>"M-my wrists. The ropes are too tight." Dick groaned quietly, just loud enough for Bruce to hear. Bruce pulled a Batarang out and quickly cut through the ropes. Dick pulled his wrists out in front of him and rubbed them gently. The ropes had been digging into his skin.</p><p>Z was in a corner now, surrounded by three cops and a very angry vigilante. "Checkmate." Dick whispered, using the iconic phrase Big Z always had. Z finally realized he was trapped and dropped the gun. "This ain't over. I'm still getting my million dollars." "And I think there's a certain festival that can use a million dollars." Gordon smirked as he cuffed Z.</p><p>The chief and Amanda hurried over to Dick, who had an exhausted smile. "Hey. How've you been?" Dick whispered, laying limply in Bruce's arms. Amanda pulled him into a hug, sighing. "You need to stop doing that to us." "That makes it the...fourth time this month?" "Fifth. You're forgetting when Shawn kidnapped you for that date night." "No, I counted that one. Shawn, the Pythons, the woman, and Talon." "You forgot Firefly, then."</p><p>Dick yawned and snuggled into Bruce. "Let's get you home." Bruce said as he stood up, carrying the sleepy avian in his arms. Dick managed to stay awake until Bruce set him down in the batmobile, where it was very warm. It didn't help when Bruce put his cape around Dick's shoulders. Dick leaned back against the seat and fell asleep quickly, snoring as the car sped through turns.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>When Dick woke up again, he found another soft and warm bed. He cracked his eyes open to see his room at Wayne manor, the birds singing outside his window. He groaned as he opened his eyes more, starting to sit up.</p><p>A hand pushed him down. "Stay down, Dickie. That concussion is telling you to not get up. You're at home." Bruce grabbed Dick's hand and gently kissed his forehead. Dick wrapped his arms around Bruce's neck and tried not to cry.</p><p>"I'm so sorry I wasn't there earlier." "Stop. You're gonna make me cry." Bruce could hear Dick holding the tears back. In reality, he was holding them back himself. "It's ok. I'm trying not to as well." Dick chuckled and tightened his grip, a few tears starting to slip out.</p><p>"I love you, Dickie. It scared me, when you went missing. Didn't sleep any of the nights you were gone. I was so worried." Dick couldn't hold it back anymore and started crying, burying his face in Bruce's shoulder. Bruce held Dick as he cried, tears streaming silently from his own eyes.</p><p>"I-I missed you. S-so much." Dick sobbed, holding on tighter than ever. "I missed you too, Dickie. God knows I missed you. When you said you were hurt, I got terrified that I would lose you."</p><p>When the two finally stopped crying, Alfred walked in. "There are some visitors here to see you, Master Dick. They're waiting in the foyer." "Bring them up, please." Dick sniffed, wiping his eyes.</p><p>Amanda, the chief, Gordon, and Harvey walked in, all smiles when they saw Dick awake. "Hey, Dickie. How you feeling?" "Tired, but fine. How were those few days without me?" "Stressful. You're a hard man to find."</p><p>After a few hours of talking, they had to leave. Being police officers, they were needed at their precincts. As soon as they left the room, Bruce sighed. "Dick, we have to talk about your kidnapped streak." "Dammit."</p>
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<a name="section0042"><h2>42. Weird things he says</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick Grayson was known around the department for saying the weirdest things at the weirdest times. No one knew why he said than, he just did. Sometimes they were sassy, others they were just plain weird. Here are a few examples.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>It had been a calm patrol. Amanda and Dick sat in the car, watching as cars drive by, when Dick broke the silence.</p><p>"So, is maroon navy red?" Amanda looked over. "Like navy blue?" "Yeah, but with red." "I will never understand you."<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Dick looked on the ground, where Jason was laying. He'd decided to try and prank Dick that day, only to be pranked back.</p><p>"Bruce didn't raise a wimp. A cold hearted bastard, maybe, but not a wimp." Jason just groaned.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Somehow, the squad™ had gotten on the topic of clothing. Girls clothing, specifically.</p><p>"I hate tights. They're annoying." Amanda growled. "Like the king sock things?" "You wear them every night!"<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"Hey, Dick!" One of the newbies asked, unaware of how messed up this was going to be. "How do you always stay so positive?" Dick smiled.</p><p>"You wanna know my secret? I lie to myself. Every morning I wake up and say, "hey, it's going to be a good day today!" But I know it's not. So, I lie to myself."</p><p>The newbie drew into himself while Dick plastered a smile onto his face. He walked away humming, trying not to laugh at the newbie's reaction.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Wally was woken up one night by Dick's tossing and turning. He looked over at the Ebony, who was wide awake. "Hey, babe. Can't sleep?" Dick nodded.</p><p>"Bad dreams?" "No, I'm thinking about how cats are scared of cucumbers."<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"I wonder how much paint I can drink before passing out." Dick said, looking over the cans they'd collected from a crime scene. The chief slung him over his shoulder and walked away. "We're gonna go with none."<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"Do you think I could survive a ten story drop?" Dick asked the chief. "We're not gonna test that theory." "Ok." They went back into silence.</p><p>"What about nine?"<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"So, what if this is an illusion, and when we get drunk or high we see the real world?" Selina froze. "Stop making me rethink life, Grayson!"<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Dick walked in one morning, eyes dark underneath and an entire box of donuts under his arm. "You ok, dude?" Tom asked. "Villains kept me up all night, and I think I may have broken something vital." "You- We're going to the hospital." "Good, cause I think I'm dying."<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"So, do fish feel wet?" Dick asked randomly. Amanda just sighed. "And does it look like they're flying to lobsters and crabs?" "You're not going to give this up, are you?" "Probably not."<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"Grayson, why do you say such weird things?" Amanda finally snapped. "Someone's gotta keep things interesting, otherwise it'll be the same thing, day after day, and doing the same thing again and again while expecting a different outcome is insanity. I'm keeping you sane."</p>
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<a name="section0043"><h2>43. Starving</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick winced as his stomach growled at him. Thanks to this gang that was prowling around his side of Blüdhaven, there was a low supply of food. And the fact that they were Gypsies only made it worse, with whatever stores had food refusing to let him buy anything. Wally was off world, unable to help him in this instance.</p><p>Food had run out three days days ago. He was slowing starving, unable to do anything. He dropped his stuff at his desk and laid his head down. His eyes started closing, and he wasn't one to fight it. Especially if it meant he could get away from the pain in his stomach.</p><p>Amanda walked over and noticed Dick's condition immediately. She gently placed a hand on his side, shocked to feel his ribs starting to poke out at her. Had he been eating?</p><p>Luckily, the chief had a few boxes of donuts here. She stood up and walked over to the table, waiting in the short line. Once at the front, she grabbed two, just in case. You never know what a hungry Dick Grayson might do.</p><p>Amanda gently shook Dick's shoulder, hearing a small whine. "I've got some food for you, Dickie. You want it?" Dick looked up at her, want in his eyes, along with a little guilt. Was he...feeling guilty for being hungry? "Yeah, it's for you. Here, it's OK." Amanda handed him the donut, which he almost couldn't eat. Amanda was giving this to him?</p><p>"Are you OK, Dickie? You look thin, and tired." Amanda asked in a soft voice, completely different from her usual spitfire self. Dick swallowed a bite of donut, not meeting Amanda's eyes. "Yeah. I'm fine." "I know when you're lying to me, Dick. What's going on?"</p><p>Dick sighed. "The gang hit my side of Blüdhaven about a week ago. We lost a lot of food. And, since they're Gypsies, stores won't sell anything to me. My food ran out about three days ago, and Wally's off world, so he can't get it either. This is the first thing I've had since the small salad on Monday."</p><p>Amanda was shocked once again. "Oh, Dickie. Why didn't you tell us?" Amanda hugged him, being careful with the seemingly fragile boy. "I didn't want to be a burden. You're focused on the gang, which is all you need to be focused on. I can wait." "No, you can't, Dickie. If we wait too long, you could die. We have to tell the chief."</p><p>She gently pulled Dick to his feet, heartbroken to see he was lighter already. She handed him the other donut and walked with him to the chief's office, noticing his exhaustion.</p><p>"Hey, Amanda. What's got- Dick, what happened?" The chief exclaimed as soon as he saw the youngest cop. He stood and walked to Dick, getting a better look. "We might wanna sit down for this. I don't know how long Dick can stand." Amanda pointed out.</p><p>"Of course! C'mon, Dickie." The chief led Dick to a spare seat and sat him down, surprised at the lack of resistance. "What happened, Dick?"</p><p>"The gang we've been chasing hit my side of Blüdhaven. The food supply dropped, and stores haven't been selling to me because I'm a gypsy, like them. My food ran out about three days ago. Had two donuts today, thanks to Amanda, but that's it." Dick looked absolutely exhausted as he recounted everything that happened.</p><p>"How have you been sleeping?" "Not too good. My stomach likes to yell at me in the middle of the night." Dick tried to joke, but groaned when his stomach growled again. He bent over slightly, head bowed. Amanda pulled him into a hug, worried for her baby brother.</p><p>"I want you to try and get some sleep today. You can sleep here, the courtyard, your desk, it doesn't matter, but get some sleep. We'll take care of the situation. Try to eat as much as you can." Dick nodded. He just wanted to go back to sleep.</p><p>Dick chose one of the trees to sleep in. It was a warm day, with the sun shining down on him. He fell asleep quickly, laying out on a thick branch. Amanda sighed, looking calm on the outside.</p><p>In reality, she was fuming. Dick had gone almost four days without eating because of what he was? It was unjust, and unfair. Why were all Gypsies being punished for one gang's actions? Especially after he hadn't done anything.</p><p>The chief was the same way. One of his best officers was starving, slowly wasting away because of his descent. He watched through the window as the hungry cop slept, trying to escape the pain. It was obviously starting to affect him, as Dick didn't normally show much pain.</p><p>The first thing he did was made sure there was donuts left over, and placed them in his office. If Dick got especially hungry, he could just walk in and grab a few. He wrote a note on a small post-it and carried it out to Dick. He folded it and slipped it into Dick's hand.</p><p>The next was figuring out which stores weren't selling to Dick. Unless there was a financial reason, they better have a good reason for not letting him buy anything. It probably wasn't financial, because Dick's payday had only been four days ago, right before the food ran out.</p><p>The chief took a moment to think from the store's side, though. They've just been robbed by Gypsies, who are "known" for being thieves. Then, another comes in trying to get food. He could be part of the gang, for Pete's sake!</p><p>But if he was part of the gang, why was he trying to buy food? He should have enough, with the supplies that were stolen. That didn't make sense to the chief. It was either they weren't thinking straight, or they knew and weren't selling Dick anything out of spite.</p><p>The last was figuring out how to get Dick food again. He was definitely hungry, but how much did he need? And what did he like to eat? How much could his cupboards handle? It was questions like these that drove the chief crazy.</p><p>Dick needed as much food as possible. If it wasn't for the donuts earlier, Dick would be on his fourth day of not eating. That shouldn't be happening, but it was. He'd need some help on this one. Operation Get Grayson Food was a go.</p>
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<a name="section0044"><h2>44. Starving 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick whimpered as he woke up, his stomach growling at him to get food. He curled up on himself and clenched his fists, finally figuring out he had the paper. He took a few seconds before reading it, letting the pain die down.</p><p>There's leftover donuts in my office. If you get extremely hungry, feel free to grab them -chief. Dick smiled and uncurled, going for more donuts. His landing wasn't as great as it normally was, but it was enough to keep him on his feet.</p><p>Dick braved the trek to the chief's office, struggling to keep his eyes open. The box of donuts sat on the desk, almost begging him to take them. Calm down, Grayson. You need to take it slow. He chided himself. He'd been starved, he needed to work up to eating the big stuff again.</p><p>Dick sat down and grabbed one of the donuts, restraining himself from just devouring the treat. He ate slowly, trying to make it last as long as possible. The pain in his stomach was starting to die down. As soon as he was done, he put his head on the desk. The lack of energy was starting to get to him.</p><p>The chief came in to see Dick asleep on the desk, snoring with the box of donuts open next to him. He smiled before closing the box and covering Dick with a blanket. The only thing the chief wanted was for Dick to eat more than one donut.</p><p>Then again, he probably fell asleep before he could. The chief knew from experience that starvation was one hell of a tiring situation. He gently pushed the hair out of Dick's eyes and sighed. Poor kid.</p><p>Luckily, he and a few others had been working to fix that problem. Without telling Grayson, they'd been working to improve the situation already. He would never go hungry again. Not if the chief could help it.</p><p>Dick groaned a few hours later, eyes fluttering open. "Hey, Dickie. How are you feeling?" The chief asked, watching as Dick rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "Still tired and hungry. Think I'm gonna need something besides donuts for once." "And that's OK. Your body probably isn't happy that all it's gotten recently is sugar. Especially after it was starved." "No, I suppose not."</p><p>"What time is it?" Dick asked. "Almost six. Your shift is almost over, and you can go home." The chief informed him. "Do you mind taking me? I don't want to fall asleep on the way back." "No problem, Dickie. Now, eat a donut or two. Get some food into your body." "I thought you said my body wasn't happy with the sugary foods?" "It can handle a little more. Besides, you won't have to deal with it for long."</p><p>"What's that mean?" Dick mumbled, mouth full of donut. "You'll see. I promise, you'll like it." "You're not taking me to a restaurant, right? They'll probably treat me the same way." "You sure? And no, I'm not." "Yeah. Almost all of our restaurants got hit as well. I could only stop a few." Dick looked down. He still felt like it was his fault.</p><p>"Hey, it's OK. They're smart, I'll give them that. They knew where to hit and when. Probably hit multiple places at once, just to throw you off. It's not your fault, Dick." The chief placed a hand on Dick's shoulder.</p><p>Dick sighed. "That obvious?" "Just when you're tired. You don't hide your emotions quite as well." Dick laid his head down again. "Just don't tell Bruce, or he'll get on my butt about it." The chief ran his fingers through Dick's hair. Dick hummed in response, the sensation feeling great.</p><p>"Don't go to sleep yet. We've only got a few minutes before your shift is over." "Sure." "That means keep your eyes open. I need to see those blue eyes." "Why is everyone going on about my eyes? And my butt?" "You got some vibrant eyes. As for your butt, no idea."</p><p>Dick chuckled. "C'mon, shift over. Let's get you home, Dickie bird." The chief helped Dick stand, noticing the effort it took the younger to get out of the chair. He slung one of Dick's arms over his shoulders and helped him walk, keeping him upright.</p><p>Dick slid into the backseat of the chief's car, laying down. Using his arms as a pillow, he fell asleep again, glad he'd asked the chief to take him. His soft snores reached the chief's ears, and he sighed. Dick was definitely smart to ask someone to take him home.</p><p>The ride was silent, except for Dick's snores. Dick was asleep, obviously, and didn't have much to say. The chief didn't want to risk waking Dick up, so he was silent. He'd turned the radio off as well, because you never know what wakes Dick up.</p><p>When they reached Dick's apartment, the chief finally woke Dick up. Dick groaned and buried his head in his arms. "Go way. 'M tryin to sleep." "We're at your apartment, Dickie. I'm going to help you up, OK? But you need to stay awake." Dick groaned again and sat up.</p><p>The chief wrapped an arm around Dick's waist and slung Dick's arm over his shoulders again. Dick stumbled along, barely noticing where he was going. He had half the mind to get his key from his pocket as they walked up to the door.</p><p>Dick was surprised to find the squad™ in his apartment. "What's this?" Dick asked as he hung his hat on the coat rack. "You said you ran out of food three days ago. We decided to fix that."</p><p>Dick's eyes widened. "No way. You guys didn't have to!" The cupboards were full. "Yes, we did. I'm not losing my little brother to hunger. Now when I can change something about that. They agreed with me." Amanda smiled.</p><p>Dick nearly crushed Amanda in a hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" "You're welcome, Dickie. Of this happens again, you're to tell us immediately. Now get some sleep. When you wake up, you're going to eat again." Amanda smiled. Dick was going to be just fine.</p>
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<a name="section0045"><h2>45. Weird things he says 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"why do criminals always feel the need to say no? They see me here, holding a gun while knowing there's no way out, and all they can say is no." Dick questioned as he cuffed the attempted mugger. "It's literally three am, can you not right now?" Amanda groaned.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"Has anyone seen Dick?" Wally asked as he walked in. "I'm watching you right now." Wally jumped and looked up, where Dick was hanging in the vents. "How the hell did you fit in there?!"<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Dick started giggling one day, no reason at all. "Are you ok?" Amanda asked. "Yeah, I'm just thinking of something from yesterday." "Dare I ask." "Wally said he was the most graceful person in the world. Right before tripping over a trash can."<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Dick looked down at the sword stuck in his leg, completely indifferent. "It sword of seems like you have a problem with me." Dick joked before pulling the sword out. "You're dying! Now is not the time to be making jokes!" Brutus yelled.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Dick cradled the small dog to his chest, playing with it's little paws. "Ok bud, here's the deal. When I say sick em, you're gonna bite the bad men, ok?" The dog borked. "Good boy!" "I worry about your sanity sometimes." <br/>➰➰➰<br/>Bruce looked over at his son, who was sleeping in the Batcomputer chair. He was mumbling, drawing Bruce's attention. "No, I don't want a pink cockroach." He didn't question it.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"I wonder how many flips I could fit in a five story drop." Dick mused. "How about we not tempt fate and stay on the ground?" The chief said while cuffing Dick's leg to the chair.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Tim had decided to visit one day, completely unannounced. Dick had been very sleep deprived, as there was just problem after problem that seemed to pop up.</p><p>"Hey, Dickie." "Are you me from the past?"<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"If I was a Pokemon, I'd be Snorlax, because all I wanna do is sleep." Dick said as he watched Tim play, which caused Tim to snort. "If you were a Pokemon, you'd be Charizard because your temper's short when you're tired."<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"So, I mixed Red Bull, coffee, and Monster energy, and now I can see sounds. Do you think I should worry?" "I swear, Grayson, half of your injuries are just you doing stupid things."<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"I'm gonna touch it." Dick was talking about the strange jewel they'd found. The case had been closed, and it was being packaged for the evidence room. "Don't you dare." Selina glared at him.</p><p>He touched it.</p><p>He was running from Selina five seconds later.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"Why does Grayson always say the weirdest things?" Someone asked Amanda. "Because one day, it's going to be revolutionary, and people can say, "that was Dick Grayson who came up with that." Get it?" Dick said as he walked past with a box of donuts.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"So, my science headcanon is-" "Just say hypothesis like everyone else." "My science headcanon is…"<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"Wanna check this out?" Dick asked over the intercom. "It better not be a dead body." "Ok."</p><p>"It's five dead bodies." "Grayson, what the hell?!?!"</p>
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<a name="section0046"><h2>46. Assassin</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick groaned as he opened his eyes. Everything was sore, and the room was bright. He didn't understand. What had happened?</p><p>"Dick? Dick, can you hear me?" A voice called out. Dick whined as he opened his eyes a little more. "Manda?" Dick croaked out. "Yeah, it's me. What happened?" He shook his head slightly. "Don' member."</p><p>"He doesn't know, chief." "That's bad. We don't have any clues as to who did this." "Wha's goin on?" The chief sighed. "We found you in your apartment, barely alive. You've been out about a week." Dick paled. "What?"</p><p>"We've been trying to figure out what happened. But we haven't found anything. We were hoping you might know." Dick shook his head again. "Sill a blank. Cameras?" Dick slurs were becoming clearer. "Taken out. We couldn't recover any data. Amanda, do you mind getting a nurse?" "Not at all."</p><p>The chief sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, sweeping it out of his face. "You're a mystery, Dickie. You almost died from blood loss, and we don't even know where to start." "It'll come back to me, jus gotta heal." "It better, or we'll have nothing."</p><p>Amanda walked back in, a lady in scrubs trailing. "Hello, Dick! How are we feeling today?" "Sore an tired." "Alright. I'm just going to check a few things, then you can go to sleep."</p><p>She gently propped his head up with her hand and shone a light in each eye. He flinched, the bright light painful. "Vision seems to be alright. Can you hear ok?" Dick nodded. "Any trouble breathing yet?" Dick shook his head. "Pain?" "A lot." "Alright, you're doing very well, considering you just woke up. I'll alert Dr Irons, and he can watch you."</p><p>She jotted notes down on a clipboard before leaving. "Where's Bruce?" "He's working on his end, looking for anything we may have missed. Did you have any threats before you were attacked?" "I can't remember any."</p><p>The ever familiar face of Dr Irons came in, causing Dick to smile. "Hey, doc." "What happened this time, Richard?" "Don't remember. Just woke up here." Dick was speaking clearly now. "Post-traumatic amnesia, most likely. Bed rest for two weeks, nothing police related for three. That's once you get out of the hospital." He sent Dick a look that said, "not like last time."</p><p>"Yes, sir." Dick chuckled. Dr Irons left, and the chief sighed again. "I think it's time you got some more rest. maybe you'll dream about what happened." "Not likely, but ok. I'll tell you if I do." The squad™ left the room, leaving Dick to sleep.</p><p>He didn't dream at all. His mind had basically said, "I'm too exhausted to try to remember." And Dick was ok with that. As much as he wanted to find out what had happened, he also just wanted to rest, to relax when he usually didn't.</p><p>He woke up with a groan, the door opening. He turned his head as a man came in, a stethoscope around his neck. "Who are you?" Dick felt like he'd seen this face before. "Don't recognize me? I'm not surprised. I've come to finish the job."</p><p>Dick tried to get up, to get out of the bed, but was held down. The assassin moved his hand to Dick's neck, where he started squeezing. Dick gasped, clawing at the hand "We wouldn't want to disturb the others, now would we?" The morphine case was broken open, and the man pushed the drug into the tube.</p><p>Dick's grip loosened as the drug flowed through his veins. He could barely keep his eyes open, watching as the man pulled out a knife. "Now, let's finish this, once and for all." He smiled as he raised the knife up, Dick's chest completely exposed.</p><p>The door slammed open again, and the security guard, as well as Dr Irons, hurried in. The assassin cursed and backed away from Dick, who was closing his eyes. Dr Irons hurried to Dick's side, a nurse accompanying him. "Sir, the morphine-" "I see it. Dick, can you hear us?" Dick nodded, on the edge of unconsciousness.</p><p>"Hang on. Stay with me for as long as you can, ok? Get a mask, now." The nurse ran off, and Dick started closing his eyes again. "Hey!" Dr Irons snapped his fingers in front of Dick's face. "Focus, Dick! I know you're tired, but you need to stay awake."</p><p>"I'm awake." Dick mumbled. The nurse came back with an oxygen tank and mask, handing the mask to Irons. The mask was quickly placed on Dick's face, and his head was propped up. He blacked out before they could do anything else, the drugs overriding his will.</p><p>When he woke, everything hurt. Again. Voices were talking, but there were a few familiar voices he hadn't heard in a while.</p><p>"How long had he been after Dick?" The chief, a little fuzzy. "Two months. He didn't strike until recently. Usually kills his victims with a quick and lethal poison that still doesn't have an antidote, but he chose to get hands on with Dick. Still don't know why." Tim, clear as day. "What all are the injuries he has now?" Bruce.</p><p>"Broken ribs, multiple breaks in the skin, mainly around his chest and neck, bruises around his neck, and he almost overdosed on the morphine forced into his body. He's been sleeping for almost two weeks. That's only after the docs patched his neck up. They have no idea when he'll wake up, with all his injuries."</p><p>Dick whined as he tried to open his eyes. Everything was heavy, and it took all of his concentration to not go back to sleep. "Dick? Can you hear us Dickie?" Bruce asked, grabbing his hand. Dick nodded, not having enough energy to try and speak.</p><p>"I'll get the doc." Jason walked out. Bruce slid his other hand under Dick's head, and Dick pressed into it. Bruce thumb brushed right above his eyebrow, rubbing back and forth. "How are you feeling, Dickie?" "Pain." That was all he said. Could say, anyway. All he felt was the pain, and Bruce's comforting touch.</p><p>Jason came back with a very worried Dr Irons. "Dick? Can you hear me?" "Yeah." Dickie voice was raspy, like he'd lost it. "You got very close to dying, young man. You're lucky the heart monitor alerted us, or you'd be six feet under right now." "I know."</p><p>Dr Irons sighed. "You know what I'm about to do, so try and cooperate with me." Dick nodded, knowing he usually hated this part. The light was shone in his eyes again, making him flinch both times. "Can you hear me?" "Loud and clear." "Trouble breathing?" "No." "I assume lots of pain." "Yeah." "Alright. Bed rest has been prolonged to four weeks, nothing police related for six. I'd advise somewhere constant care can be provided."</p><p>"If it's alright, we'll take him to the manor. There's always someone there." Bruce suggested. "Once I clear him, I think that's the best option. I don't want to see you in this hospital for at least two months." "No promises, doc." Irons frowned.</p>
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<a name="section0047"><h2>47. Deep thoughts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Has anyone ever wondered why people like life, but not death?" One of Amanda's brothers asked. "Not you too." She groaned. "It's because life is a beautiful lie, while death is a painful truth." Dick commented, typing at his computer. "That…was actually very smart." "Thank you."<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"Did you know a locks purpose is to turn a door into a wall." "Stop making me rethink life, dammit!"<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"When you turn thirty, you've spent a month having birthdays." "Go back to making jokes instead of these thoughts." "But that's no fun!"<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"Your car keys travel father than your actual car." "Where do these things come from?"<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"The objective of golf is to play the least amount of golf." "Dick, babe, I love you, but it's one in the morning."<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"Punishment for honestly is what makes us lie." "Good point, but still. We're arresting a man who's killed several people under false aliases."<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"Any stairway is a stairway to heaven if you're clumsy enough." "Not what I needed on the sixty fifth floor!"<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"Rain doesn't make a sound until it hits something." "Is that your way of saying don't run in the rain?"<br/>➰➰➰<br/>"Deadpool could save hundreds of lives through organ transplants." "You're still stingy about that?"</p>
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<a name="section0048"><h2>48. Romanian</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick groaned as he woke up. That was, what, the fifth time this week? He tried to sit up, but was stopped quickly. "Stay down, Grayson. You got hit with some sort of ray, and the ambulance hasn't gotten here yet." "Pleacă de aici." "What?" "Pleacă de aici." Dick repeated, agitated. "What the hell are you saying? Is that even English?"</p><p>"Am spus să plec- așteaptă, nu mă poți înțelege?" "What's going on?" The chief came over and knelt down. "Grayson's trying to say something, but I don't think it's English." "Alright. Grayson, tell me something." "Ești bătrân." "Oh boy. What we're dealing with is a ray that makes you speak another language. Grayson's speaking Romanian." The chief pinched the bridge of his nose.</p><p>"So, we're suck with a rookie none of us can understand?" "He's not a rookie, but yes. Dick, is there anyone who might understand you?" "Du-te și Bruce." "Bruce?" Dick nodded. "Alright. Let's get you checked out, then I'll call him." "Asta va fi distractiv. Mulțumiri" Dick mumbled.</p><p>The chief helped Dick sit up, getting his back off the cold alley ground. Dick sat against the side of an office building as they waited for the ambulance, the unknown cop gone. "Can you speak anything else?" Dick scrunched his face up before shaking his head. "Nu." "You need to teach us Romanian one day." "Poate."</p><p>Dick sighed and pulled his knees to his chest. "You ok?" "Dacă aș fi blocat așa?" "Sorry, just a yes or no will have to do." "Da." "I take it that's yes, since nu is no." Dick nodded.</p><p>Dick leaned into the chief, closing his eyes. "Hey, don't go to sleep yet. Ambulance is almost here." "Vă rog?" "Nu. Just a little bit longer." The chief said, smiling slightly. He knew Dick always asked to go to sleep when he was told no, so Vă rog was probably please.</p><p>Both sighed as the ambulance's sirens played in the distance, getting closer. It turned into the alley, the back doors facing Dick and the chief. Several paramedics hopped out and hurried over. "What happened?" One of them asked Dick. "imi pare rau. dacă nu înțelegi limba română, nu te pot ajuta." The paramedic closest to him frowned. "What?"</p><p>Dick set his head on his knees and groaned before looking up at the chief. "He was hit with some sort of ray that's making him speak his first language, Romanian. We wanted to make sure he was ok." The paramedic sighed. "Thanks. Any pain?" Dick shook his head. "un pic obosit, dar asta e tot." "Don't understand." "la naiba."</p><p>They went through the procedure, light in his eyes to see how responsive he was, yes or no questions, the whole shebang. When they were done, the paramedics stepped back. "I don't see anything that would need immediate medical attention. I'd say bed rest for the rest of the day, maybe tomorrow if you're not feeling well. Once Star Labs figures out that ray, we'll inform you on how to go back." "Thanks. C'mon, Dick. Let's get you home."</p><p>The chief pulled Dick to his feet, carefully catching the aggravated cop. "Urăsc totul despre asta." "I can't understand you, Dickie, but I assume you hate this." Dick glared at the chief, basically saying "don't joke." He was already sick and tired of people saying they don't understand him, and he'd only been awake ten minutes.</p><p>Dick was silent the whole ride to his apartment. He watched as cars raced past, hurrying to go wherever they needed to. The chief would glance over every now and then, concern in his gaze. Even if he wouldn't be able to be understood, Dick normally talked some.</p><p>"Are you ok, Dick? You're being awful quiet." "Da. Doar perfect." "Look, I know you're stressed, but sarcasm isn't the best thing right now. Seriously, are you ok?" "Da. Scuze." "Hey, it's ok. We'll figure this out." Dick just sighed.</p><p>Once they were in his apartment, Dick collapsed on his bed, still in uniform. The chief was in the kitchen, calling Bruce. Dick kicked his shoes off, placed his hat and gun on the nightstand, and covered himself with the blanket. He wanted to wake up, and find this was just a dream. That people could still understand him. He really needed to teach them Romanian.</p><p>"He's on his way, Dick." "Mulțumiri, şef." "It'll take a while for him to get here. Why don't you get some sleep, try to let go of some stress?" "Nu funcționează așa." "Dick," "știu, știu. Nu mă poți înțelege."</p><p>Dick pulled the blankets closer and sighed. The chief opened his mouth to say something, but closed it. Dick didn't need anything else weighing his conscious down. "Sleep well, Grayson."</p><p>A few hours later, Bruce walked in the apartment, taking note of Dick's gentle snores. "What happened?" He asked in his gruff Batman voice. "He got hit with some sort of ray that makes him only able to speak his first language. He can understand English, but can't speak it. When I asked if anyone could translate for him, he said call you. He's been asleep for about an hour."</p><p>Bruce walked into Dick's room, being silent. The younger looked stressed, definitely, and...maybe a little sad? Bruce was normally very good at reading Dick's emotions.</p><p>"Dickie. Dickie, can you hear me?" Bruce knelt down in front of Dick. Dick cracked his eyes open and smiled. "Tati." "It's me, Dick. Are you feeling ok?" "Obosit și frustrat." "No pain?" "Nu. Cum a fost toata lumea?" "They're doing just fine. Alfred was getting ready to prepare your room." "Pot să mă duc acasă?" "Of course. You'll probably have to pack a small bag, but that's it."</p><p>Bruce gently pulled Dick to his feet. "Why don't you go ahead and change? I know you love the uniform, but it probably won't be the best thing to wear in Gotham." "Este o idee buna. Mulțumesc, tati!" Dick hugged Bruce before going to look for a change of clothes. "Ești binevenit, fiu." Bruce smiled.</p><p>Bruce stepped back into the living room and sat on the couch. "I'll take him to Gotham. After his early years, we made sure all of us could understand Romanian. There are multiple people there who can understand him easily." "Good idea. He'll get days off for trauma, anyway, so he can use those. If he needs to stay over, I can give him a few more. You'd be surprised how easily they'll give days off if the smallest thing could go wrong. I just have to word it right."</p><p>Dick walked out with a small duffle bag, dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans. "Sunt gata, Tati." "We'll be heading out now. Thank you for getting him home." "Asigurați-vă că ați blocat ușa." "What?" Dick sighed and looked at Bruce. "He says lock the door." "Will do." "Mulțumiri." "That's thanks, for future reference."</p><p>Dick walked out to the car with Bruce, feeling a little more tired. Maybe it was just a side effect of the ray? Yeah, that was it. Just the ray, with its stupid language barrier. He leaned against Bruce in the car and quickly fell asleep.</p><p>"Dick? Are you alright?" Bruce asked. No answer. He looked down to see the younger asleep, starting to snore. He just sighed as he laid Dick in his lap, allowing the Ebony to lay out.</p><p>Dick slept the whole way back to Gotham. Bruce was starting to worry, as Dick normally talked during the rare moments they got to be together without Dick's brothers. Even if he was exhausted, Dick attempted to stay awake for as long as possible.</p><p>When they got to Gotham, Bruce almost didn't have the heart to wake Dick. He looked so peaceful, like the young nine year old Bruce had adopted. Dick was still his son, but had grown into this adult that Bruce couldn't help but be proud of.</p><p>"Dick. C'mon, Dickie, we're home." "Încă cinci minute, Tati." "I know you're tired, but I think Alfred would like to say hello to a conscious Grayson." "Amenda." Dick huffed as he sat up, stretching. Bruce handed Dick his bag and walked to the front door.</p><p>Alfred smiled as Dick walked up. "Hello, Master Dick. How are you?" "Bine, Alfred. Mulțumiri." "Would your lack of English be the reason for this visit?" "Da, din pacate." "He got hit with some sort of ray that's made him unable to speak English. He understands it, he just can't say the words." Bruce explained.</p><p>"I expect you're rather irritated?" "Nu ai nici o idee." Dick chuckled. "I've got your room prepared, so whenever you are ready." "Sunteți cel mai bun, Alfred." "You flatter me too much."</p><p>Dick yawned, causing Bruce some worry. "Are you ok, Dick? You're not usually this tired." "Voi fi bine. E probabil doar raza." Let's get you to bed. Alfred, will you wake him up for dinner if he's still asleep?" "Of course." "C'mon, Dickie."</p><p>Dick trailed behind Bruce, eyes growing heavier. He set his bag down on the side of his bed and flopped down, lacking the energy to get under the covers. "Dick, are you sure you're ok? You look like you haven't slept for days." "Sunt bine, într-adevăr. Sunt sigur că este doar raza. Am dormit câteva ore aseară." "How many are a few?" "Patru, cinci?"</p><p>Bruce frowned. "Get some sleep. Maybe it's just a side effect." "Asta mă gândeam." "I'll be in my office if you need anything. Alfred's always available. Tim and Damian should be here in a few hours, once they get back from the team mission." "Le-ai făcut să lucreze împreună?" "Surprisingly."</p><p>Bruce left the room, and Dick went back to sleep. Bruce was concerned, with Dick's language problem and the exhaustion. They'd gotten lucky, considering the ray had been taken operational.</p><p>When Alfred went to get Dick for dinner, the Ebony was still asleep. Alfred sighed as he gently shook Dick's shoulder, hearing the younger whine. "It's time for dinner, Master Dick." "Bunicule, nu mă simt bine." Dick groaned. "What's wrong?" "Simt ca capul meu explodeaza si sunt foarte grețos. Îl poți lua pe Tati?" "Of course. One moment." "Mulțumesc."</p><p>Alfred walked down to the dining room, where Bruce sat. "It appears Master Dick has taken ill. He's asked for you." "He's sick?!" Bruce exclaimed as he leapt up. "Yes, Master Bruce. A migraine, with a side dish of nausea. It would be best if you hurried. It may be some comfort if his father is there."</p><p>Bruce wasted no more time. He practically ran to Dick's room, wondering how bad it was. He gently opened the door to see Dick curled on his side, facing the door. "Tati." "I'm here, Dickie. I'm here." Bruce sat on the edge of the bed and carefully moved Dick's head to his lap.</p><p>"Are you ok?" "Nu. Mă simt oribil." "Hang on, Dickie. It'll be ok. Just breathe, in and out." "Doare." "What does?" "Capul meu, pieptul meu, stomacul meu." "Can you breathe without pain?" "Nu profund." "Ok, light breaths. Nothing too quick. Can you do that?" "Da."</p><p>Dick breathed lightly, trying to keep the nauseous feeling to a minimum. Bruce gently pet Dick's head, worried. What exactly had that ray done?</p><p>Suddenly, Dick paled. "Cos de gunoi." Bruce hurriedly grabbed the bin and handed it to Dick. In the nick of time, too. Dick's body convulsed as he threw up, leaning over the bed. Bruce held Dick's hair back, gently shushing the younger. "Shh, it's ok, Dickie. Just breathe. Just breathe.</p><p>When he was done coughing the rest of the bile out, he set the trash can down and practically collapsed again. Tears were starting to fall down his face in gentle streams. "Shh, it's ok, Dickie. It's ok. Don't cry, just breathe." "Doare. Urăsc să fiu bolnavă." "I know, Dickie. No one likes being sick. But I need you to breathe, ok? Calm down, and breathe."</p><p>Bruce pulled Dick into a gentle, but much needed hug. Dick burrowed into Bruce's body and tried not to cry. He absolutely hated throwing up. He hated being sick in general.</p><p>"Do you think you could eat something? Maybe something small, but just something?" "Nu. Aș arunca din nou." "What about tea? Think you could drink some?" "Probabil. Va trebui să plecați pentru ao obține?" "I'm sorry Dickie, but I probably would. Do you think you could stand being alone for a few minutes?" "Da. Grăbește-te." "I'll be right back, Dickie."</p><p>Bruce gently set Dick down and propped a pillow under his head. He stood up and hurried out, looking for the butler. Dick whimpered as the nausea hit him hard again, causing him to gag.</p><p>Bruce found Alfred in the kitchen, already making tea. "I figured Master Dick would prefer something soothing for his nausea." "He's already thrown up, Alfred. I don't know what's wrong, or what sickness he managed to contract, but it's bad. We may need to get Leslie to check him out." "My word! Is he alright?" "I've managed to calm him down somewhat, but he's still scared. You know how he hates being sick."</p><p>"Indeed, Master Bruce. Now, I believe he'll be needing someone to aid him in his torment. I'll bring the tea up when it's ready." Alfred pushed Bruce out of the kitchen. Bruce sighed before heading back up to Dick's room, footsteps still soft.</p><p>When he got to the door, he heard retching sounds. He opened it to see Dick had thrown up again, tears streaming down his face as he attempted to breathe regularly again. His breaths came short, but choppy, ending suddenly. Almost like he was going into a panic attack.</p><p>Bruce rushed back in and gently set the trash can down, cupping Dick's face gently. He wiped the tears away and kissed Dick's forehead. "Shh, it's ok, Dickie. Just breathe, in and out. I'm here, and I'm so sorry for leaving you." Dick clung onto Bruce and buried his head in his shoulder.</p><p>It was needless to say Dick didn't sleep at all that night. He threw up thrice more, getting worse with each time. Bruce didn't sleep either, not willing to leave Dick's side again. He'd managed to down the tea Alfred made, but it did little to combat his nausea.</p><p>"Tati...Cred că s-ar putea să revin din nou." Dick moaned. Bruce carefully pulled the trash can up again, keeping Dick's hair back. The poor boy threw up yet again, any contents in his stomach long gone. He didn't know what he was throwing up anymore.</p><p>"I'm sorry, Dickie. If I could stop this, I would." "Nu e vina ta, Tati. Pot să obțin niște apă?" Let me grab it." Bruce set Dick down on the bed again, going to fill the tea cup with water. Dick whimpered, pulling the blankets closer.</p><p>Bruce carefully handed Dick the cup, keeping it from spilling. Dick slowly drank the water, trying to keep from throwing up again. When he was done, Bruce set the cup down on the nightstand and laid down next to Dick. Dick snuggled into Bruce and closed his eyes.</p><p>"Do you think you could sleep some? Or at least try?" "Nu știu. Eu pot sa incerc." "That's all I'm asking." Dick sighed and went still, trying to go to sleep. Bruce pulled him closer and carefully pulled the blankets to his shoulders. Dick whimpered and curled up again, grabbing at Bruce's shirt.</p><p>Leslie came in about three hours after breakfast, smelling the problem already. Dick was pale and shaking, most likely from the strain of throwing up. He laid against Bruce, soft groans being emitted every now and then.</p><p>"How is he?" "Very sick. He threw up six times, and couldn't sleep, nor eat. We think the cause was a ray he got hit with during his police work. It made him unable to speak English, we know that much, but Alfred and I think it strained his body." "When was the last time he slept?" "The night before last, about four to five hours. He didn't sleep at all last night, and I got him to sleep about five minutes before you walked in."</p><p>Both froze as Dick shifted, digging his head into Bruce's chest. "Tati...imi pare rau...te rog nu mă lăsa." The younger whimpered, pressing into Bruce. "Shh, it's ok, Dickie. Sunt încă aici. Nu ai de ce să-ți pare rău." "E vina mea ... vina mea." "What is?" "Nu mă trimite departe ... te rog!"</p><p>It was like a bad nightmare. "Nu te trimit. Nu sunt dezamăgit, nu te învinovățesc. Taci acum, e ok." "What's he saying? You know I'm not fluent." "He was saying sorry, that it was his fault. He was begging me not to send him away. I don't understand. What is he talking about?"</p>
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<a name="section0049"><h2>49. Finding out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Three years ago<br/>Mission report<br/>December 21, 2016<br/>After capture of several officers, Blockbuster demanded that Nightwing show up and reveal his identity. If he didn't within forty eight hours, the cops would die.</p><p>Amanda groaned as she opened her eyes. She was somewhere dark, and cold. The stone floor stole her body heat, making her shiver. She picked herself up and rubbed her head, trying to think. What had happened?</p><p>The last thing she remembered was telling the new rookie to run, to go get help. What was his name…Ric? No, Dick! Dick freaking Grayson had gone to get help. "I guess help didn't get here in time."</p><p>A groan rang out to her left. She put her hand to get belt to see her gun, cuffs and keys gone. The knife that was normally in her combat boot was also missing. She was weaponless, but she wasn't going down without a fight. She crouched down, ready to spring into a brawl at any second.</p><p>The person sat up and rubbed his head. "Where am I?" "Chief?" "Amanda?" "What happened?" "I don't remember. Are you ok?" "Besides a small headache, yeah. What about you?" "Same. Anyone else here?"</p><p>"Chief?!" "Selina!" "Brutus, James and I are over here!" "Are any of you hurt?" "No. Headaches, but that's it." "Seems to be a common factor. Let's join together and try to find a way out of here." "Not without me!" "You too, Tom!"</p><p>Eventually, with a lot of Marco Polo, everyone joined together. "What's the last thing you remember?" The chief asked. "Blockbuster knocking us out." Selina replied. Brutus, James, and Tom nodded. "I sent Dick, the rookie, to get help. I don't know if he got any." "I remember trying to get the others out of the precinct as quickly as I could. Did anyone remember Dick getting out?"</p><p>Amanda shook her head. "You don't think he's here, do you?" "It'd made sense. Blockbuster went after the one who was getting help. If he's here, he's probably being held in another part of the building." "Your friend isn't here." Blockbuster walked into the room. "Unfortunately, the little brat got away. However, you are a lucky few who get to find the identity of Nightwing."</p><p>"What?" "It's simple. Nightwing has two days to come here and reveal his identity to me, or you die. It's really quite ingenious, if I do say so myself." "What makes you think he'll give his identity up?" The chief asked. "Why not? His job is just to save lives. If he doesn't save yours, what does that say?"</p><p>"It says you're not as smart as I originally thought, Blockbuster." Nightwing walked into the room. "You never told me the location, and yet I found you anyway. You gotta step your game up, man." "Let's not worry about that now. Your identity?"</p><p>Nightwing sighed and took his mask off. His dull, gray eyes bit into Amanda. Where had she seen this before? "My name is Evan." "Evan?" "Escence." "The great Nightwing is Evan Escence." "Tell them to listen to my music!"</p><p>Nightwing shot a small tranquilizer dart into Blockbuster's arm. "What the?!" "Now, you go to sleep, and I'll escort these lovely cops out of here." Blockbuster groaned before collapsing.</p><p>"Are you alright?" He turned to the small group. Amanda gasped, finally placing where she'd seen that face before. "Rookie?!" Dick looked down. "Yeah." "What the hell? I thought you were captured, or injured! And you're out here, prancing around in a skin tight suit pretending to be Evanescence?"</p><p>"Amanda, let me explain-" "Like hell I will! You scared us, Grayson. You scared me. Why didn't you tell us?" Amanda walked up to Dick, grabbing his arm. He flinched, and she realized how harsh she'd been. "Lives were at stake, Amanda. Everyone I know and love could be targets if my identity was outed. I didn't tell you because I'm still a rookie, and I didn't know how you were supposed to react. No one besides a few heroes know I'm Nightwing. I'm not trying to hurt you, I'm trying to protect you."</p><p>Amanda sighed and pulled him into a hug. "You scared me, Dick. When we woke up, and you weren't here, the first thing my mind said was, 'he's hurt, or dead,' and 'he needs my help.' Tell us anything else big, something you felt would hurt us if it was revealed." "How do I know this whole conversation won't be revealed?"</p><p>"Because Amanda's right." The chief walked up. "We were terrified. We didn't know what Blockbuster might have done to you. Besides, you're one of the best cops I've got. Like hell am I losing you." "Wait, you're serious?" "Dead serious. I expect to see you at work tomorrow." "No offense, but what about you guys?"</p><p>Brutus shrugged. "I can keep a secret." "I don't really care one way or another, just don't get killed." Selina added. "I personally think it's awesome you're Nightwing. My lips are sealed." Tom smiled. "James? What about you?" Dick was rubbing his arm. "If you wanna prance around pretending to be Evanescence, I'm fine with it. I'm with Selina, just don't get killed."</p><p>Dick sighed. "Thank you. Sorry for not telling you." "You've got reason. Just expect to get hell from Amanda for a few weeks." Dick chuckled. "I already knew it was coming."</p><p>Nightwing did appear, but cops were unconscious when identity revealed. Nightwing is still a mystery.</p>
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<a name="section0050"><h2>50. Mater</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick winced as Talia pulled the needle through again. "Ow." "Is the anesthetic not working?" "I'll be fine, Mater. It's ok." "I don't like the idea of you in pain." "It's not the first time," Dick winced again. "And it definitely won't be the last."</p><p>Why was Dick Grayson with Talia Al Ghul? Because, thanks to Damian and a growing relationship between her and Bruce, she was one of his mothers. Currently, they were at one of her many hideouts, stitching a few cuts he'd gotten while saving her. The anesthetic was starting to wear off.</p><p>Dick grunted as she finished the stitch, gripping the arm rests tightly. "Alright, I'm done stitching them. I'll bandage the wounds, then you're to sleep. Understand, young man?" "Yes, Mater. I know the drill." "Good." Talia kissed his forehead.</p><p>"Can I ask a question, Mater?" "If course." "Why don't you ever do this to Damian? Get closer to him?" Talia sighed. "My relationship with him ended the moment he went to your father. I do not regret anything, but I want to start over again. Get a chance to be a mother, without my father being in the way. Your brothers do not like me very much. I'm trying to make up for my mistake of raising Damian like an assassin, not a child."</p><p>Dick nodded. Talia continued to wrap his injuries in silence, trying not to think about Damian. Her biological son often troubled her thoughts. She was snapped back to reality when Dick whimpered, reaching for the cut on his back.</p><p>Talia gently moved his hand away. She rubbed around the cut, soothing the skin. Dick sighed in relief and let his head hang, letting Talia take care of the pain. She stopped after a few minutes and went back to wrapping Dick's arm.</p><p>When she was done, Dick stood up. "I assume I'll be staying here for a few days, Mater?" "Yes. I'll show you to your room." Talia gently placed a hand on Dick's back, making sure to avoid the cut. Dick followed Talia as she led him to a room across from hers.</p><p>"If you need anything, just call." "Thank you, Mater." Dick gently hugged Talia. "You're welcome, filius. Now get some sleep. I expect at least one day of no training, or acrobatics. Just walking, and running if necessary." "Yes, Mater. Good night." "Good night." Dick walked into his room and closed the door.</p><p>He laid down on the bed, carefully pulling the covers over himself. He closed his eyes, quickly going to sleep. He was completely calm here, trusting Talia to take care of him.</p><p>Why was he with one of his mothers in a secret hideout, saving her life? She'd gotten a few death threats from an assassin who used to work for Ra's, and wanted some company. He'd taken a few days off to stay with her.</p><p>Talia sighed and went to clean up the medical supplies, thankful the injuries had been minor. She'd feel horrible of the closest thing she had to a son got hurt because of her. Yes, she had Damian, but she felt Dick was a closer son, one willing to spend time with her. Damian practically resented her with every fiber of his being.</p><p>The League of Assassins had been much more organized with her at the head. They were working on a partnership with the Justice League, attempting to help each other become better. Talia no longer bothered with the plans of world domination her father had been obsessed with. She only wanted the best for the world.</p><p>Dick was one key in that factor. He was one of her sons, yes, but he was also one of the most trusted heroes in the world. If he trusted the League of Assassins, maybe the others would as well.</p><p>After the med-bay was cleaned, she went to oversee a night training exercise. Even if they weren't villains anymore, the assassins had to keep sharp. This was testing their fighting skills while in a poorly lit area.</p><p>The exercise went very well, in Talia's opinion. Only one got injured, and it was a small cut on his leg. The troops were still as skilled as possible. She may start getting Dick to participate. Once his injuries healed, that is. She didn't want them reopened.</p><p>After all assassins were accounted for, she herself went to sleep. Talia didn't deal with the constant patrols, so she'd come up with a sleep schedule. She was lucky if she could get Dick to follow it. He never did get enough sleep.</p><p>When Talia woke up the next morning, something felt…off. Wrong. She'd learned to trust her instincts, especially when it came to her line of work. She made her way to Dick's room and silently opened the door.</p><p>The blankets were kicked off, the pillows on the floor. Dick was tossing and turning, sweat covering every inch of his body. He was muttering, plauged by some monsterous scene in his mind.</p><p>She rushed over and started shaking his shoulder. "Dick. Dick, you've got to wake up. Come on, wake up!" Dick gasped and opened his eyes, body jolting to get up. Talia carefully held him down and gently shushed him. "Hush, child. It's alright, you're safe." "Mater? What are you doing here?" "You were having a nightmare, filius. Let me see your stitches."</p><p>Dick sat up and gave Talia access to his injuries, still calming down. He'd popped one open, luckily a small one. "One of them opened again. I'll need to restitch it." "I'm sorry, Mater. I didn't mean to wake you." "It's alright, Dick. Do not blame yourself for a nightmare. Besides, it was almost time to wake."</p><p>Talia sat down in front of Dick, who wasn't meeting her eyes. "Look at me, child." Dick looked up, guilt dancing in his eyes. "What's wrong? You don't normally try to hide yourself." Dick took a shaky breath and sighed.</p><p>"In my nightmare, you and Bruce were arguing again. You wanted me to be yours and yours alone, but Bruce insisted that I stay with him. I was forced to choose between you, but I couldn't. I may have known Bruce longer, but I don't know him as well as I know you. Both of you kept getting louder, and angrier, and telling me I had to choose one."</p><p>Dick tried to hold the tears back, but one slipped out and his dam broke down. Talia hugged him, resting his head on her shoulder. "Shh, breathe child, breathe. It's alright now. You don't have to choose." "I don't want to lose either of you. I don't want to lose anyone." He sobbed, holding onto her tightly.</p><p>"You won't lose anyone today. I'm not going to force you to stay if you do not wish, but if you do stay, you're welcome to join me in the library." "Thank you, Mater. I'm sorry for breaking down." "Do not apologize for being human. It's one of the things I regret most about Damian."</p><p>Dick nodded and pulled back, wiping his tears away. She cupped his face and brushed her thumb back and forth, smiling slightly. Dick chuckled, wiping the other side of his face. "I was being kinda stupid, wasn't I?" "I would call it momentary panic, but yes. Don't apologize for being human, especially when it comes to something like nightmares, or regrets. It's ok to have those."</p><p>"Thank you, Mater. For everything." "You're welcome, filius. Now, let's read a little, shall we?" "That sounds perfect."</p>
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<a name="section0051"><h2>51. Romanian 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick groaned and dug into Bruce's chest, trying to hide his face. "Îmi pare rău...Îmi pare rău, tati. Te rog, lasă-mă să rămân!" "Shh, it's ok. I'm not sending you away, you can stay! You can stay, Dickie." "De ce? De ce m-ai trimis departe?"</p><p>"What's going on?" "He's asking why I sent him away. Do you think he's delusional?" "Most likely. I'll get some water." Leslie stood up.</p><p>"Îmi pare rău că te-am dezamăgit, tati. Te rog, nu luați Robin! Vă rog!" Bruce felt his heart break. Dick thought he was sixteen again, when Bruce had fired him as Robin. He'd gotten hurt by Joker, and Bruce finally realized Dick was still a child. "Shh, it's ok Dickie. I don't want you getting hurt, or killed, because of my mistake. It'll be ok. You're Nightwing, one of the strongest heroes I know. You were strong and amazing as Robin, but you're even better as Nightwing. Trust me, son, it's ok."</p><p>Dick slowly went still, no longer talking. Leslie came back with a cup of water and a wet hand towel. She placed the hand towel on Dick's forehead and set the glass down on the nightstand. "What was he dreaming about?" "It was when he was sixteen, and I fired him. He thought he had disappointed me, and was begging me not to take Robin away. Said he was sorry, kept repeating it. I feel horrible."</p><p>"Bruce, what you did, you did because you thought it was the best thing to do. He'd gotten hurt, and your instincts said he didn't need to keep putting himself in a position where he kept getting hurt. You both influenced his path, for the good and the bad. Once he heals, talk to him. Work out your differences, and get closer." Leslie lectured, her hand on Bruce's shoulder.</p><p>"Leslie, he was begging me not to take it. Even if he's only semi conscious, I can hear the pain in his voice. How am I supposed to get close to the man I hurt?" "You do it because he knows how you hurt him. You do it because you know how he hurt you. Your work together, and you fix your wounds. That's how."</p><p>Bruce looked down as Dick pressed into him. "I'll try. I don't know how well I'll do it, but I'll try." "That's all I want." Leslie left for a few minutes before coming back with a bottle. "These should help with the nausea. Be sure to watch him, especially if he keeps throwing up. I'd try liquid foods, to keep from getting too malnourished. That's all I can do until Star Labs figures this thing out. I'd advise baths, if you bathe him at all. Keep him from getting too nauseous." "Thank you, Leslie." "It's no problem."</p><p>The family friend left the room, and Bruce sighed. "Dick, I'm so sorry. I didn't know how taking Robin would hurt you this badly. I was doing what my instincts said, to try and keep you safe. I feel like a jerk, because I didn't listen enough. I'm so, so sorry." Bruce gently pulled Dick to his chest and sighed. "I love you, Dick, and I'm so proud of you. Never forget that."</p><p>Dick pressed into Bruce, some of the pain seeming to ebb away. Or maybe that was Bruce's imagination. Maybe it was his mind hoping his words had done something. He didn't know anymore.</p><p>Dick slept for about an hour more. He groaned when he woke up, his body aching. "Dick? Are you ok?" "Sore, but that's it." "Wait, what did you say?" "I said I'm sore. Why?" "Dick, you're speaking English!"</p><p>"Wait, what?" "You're speaking English again, Dickie. The ray most have worn off." Dick sat up, noticing how the nauseous feeling was gone as well. "How are you feeling?" "Not sick, that's for sure. Starving." "Let's get some food. Do you think you can walk?"</p><p>"Let's test it out." Dick swung his legs around, placing them on the floor. Bruce stood next to him, ready to catch the younger. Dick stood up, expecting to fall to the floor. He stayed standing, a small laugh escaping.</p><p>"Well, I guess being sick that once helped." He chuckled. "Let's not get hit by strange rays anymore, ok?" Bruce asked. "Yeah. Hey, Bruce?" "Yeah Dick?" "I'm…sorry for the whole fired situation. You were just trying to protect me, and I was being the angry teenager by thinking you didn't trust me." "It's ok, Dick. I shouldn't have tried to take Robin from you in the first place. Now, let's talk over breakfast."</p>
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<a name="section0052"><h2>52. Mind control</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick pulled on the straps, trying to escape from the gurney before his kidnappers came back. A cult had taken to Blüdhaven, and kidnapped Dick for whatever sick reason. And Dick, for one, did not want to be a sacrifice for whatever freaky god they worshiped.</p><p>His gun, knife, and keys were gone. They'd been clever enough to take his shoes. The metal table was cold against his back, and the straps were starting to chaff into his skin.</p><p>Dick cursed as the door opened. "He's awake." "Yes, I am awake, and I'm severely pissed. What's going on?" A group of men in blue robes surrounded him. One of them held a syringe in his hand, clearly meant for the officer on the gurney.</p><p>His head was held down and twisted to the side, giving them plenty of room to inject the substance into his neck. "You, dear boy, are going to help us. You cops are a disease, one that is festering in this city. We plan to end that." One of them explained as they started pushing the liquid into Dick's body. Dick gasped, the stuff felt like fire in his veins.</p><p>"You will have the honor of killing every one of your comrades." No! Dick struggled, ignoring the flames that bit at his nerves. He couldn't kill the others, he couldn't! Going on instinct, he pressed the button in his cuff twice, begging that it got through.</p><p>"Calm down. You will only hurt yourself." Dick only struggled harder. Several hands now held him down, along with the straps. He could feel his will starting to drip away, slowly losing control of his limbs. Eventually, he couldn't move at all.</p><p>His eyes were still open, glaring at all of the men. Showing how much he hated them. One of them placed a hand on his forehead and said, "May the cleansing start." No, no, no. Please no.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Amanda looked on her phone as it vibrated, saying it had received a notification. She opened it, hoping it was what she thought it was. Dick had been kidnapped a little over ten hours ago, taken by that new cult. She and the others had been working non-stop, looking for anything that said Dick was OK.</p><p>She cursed as she read what it was. Dick had two signals he could send: "I'm in danger," or "I'm being mind controlled." She stood up and walked to the chief's office, carrying her phone with her. This was going to be very bad.</p><p>The chief looked up as she walked in. "Have you got anything?" "Yeah. His emergency button. He's being mind controlled. The cult's taken over Nightwing." "Dammit. Why him?" The chief sigh, his head in his hands again.</p><p>"I don't know, but we need to be ready. You know their motives, and you know they're coming for us. We need to get ready, so we can take him down without getting any of us hurt." "I know. Get everyone back here. This isn't going to go well."</p><p>It took little time for everyone to join in the precinct. They'd all been looking for Grayson, who was almost the baby of the family. If you counted the department as a family. The chief joined them, a grim look on his face.</p><p>"They're coming to us. That much, we know. And, unfortunately, they've taken over Grayson's mind. We need to get him back unharmed, and make it through this. That means rubber bullets, and we only use knives on the cult members. Do I make myself clear?" "Yes sir!" The words were unanimous, ringing through the building.</p><p>A few hours later, and the cult members showed up. Dick walked beside the leader, eyes foggy and emotionless. His strides matched the leaders, showing the weapons that had been returned to him. It looked like there had never been life in him. They walked into the precinct, the other cult members waiting outside.</p><p>"Chief. What an honor to meet you and your crew. We've already had the pleasure of meeting Richard over here." The man smirked. The chief growled, Amanda standing beside him. The others were placed around the room, guns in hand.</p><p>"Unfortunately, I did not come to talk. You cops are a disease, slowly killing Blüdhaven. Man should be free, not bound by laws that hinder our choices. It is you, you who kill innocents and hurt those who don't deserve to be hurt that enforce that. You become a face of fear to those people. It is your turn to be on the receiving side of that fear. Warrior!"</p><p>Dick stepped forward, knife in his hand. "Show these officers true fear. Kill them all!" Dick leapt forward, heading for the chief and Amanda. He was fighting internally, trying to break free before he hurt someone.</p><p>Amanda and the chief rolled out of the way. Dick pursued the chief while the others went after the cult. Amanda and Brutus went to help the chief, knowing that Dick could easily kill him.</p><p>"C'mon, Dick, fight it! I know you're stronger than this!" The chief said, backing away from blow after blow. Dick didn't seem to hear, eyes still emotionless. Empty.</p><p>Amanda kicked him away, causing the knife to go sliding from his grasp. He got up quickly, only to be grabbed from behind. Brutus had his arms wrapped around Dick's chest, holding him off the ground. Amanda was quick to take the gun away, not knowing which rounds were in there.</p><p>Dick struggled, against Brutus and the mind controller. Amanda got one side of a pair of cuffs around his right wrist, Brutus carrying the Ebony somewhere. They entered the chief's office, where he was held down in a chair. Amanda cuffed the other side of the cuffs to the chair, trapping Dick's arm.</p><p>The chief cuffed Dick's other arm to the chair. Dick pulled on the cuffs, but couldn't get out. "How are we supposed to fix this? We don't even know how they're controlling him." Amanda pointed out. Even though he struggled, Dick was emotionless in his eyes.</p><p>"I don't know, but we need to fix this somehow. We need him back." The chief bent down, looking into Dick's- no, not Dick's. Dick showed emotion. He looked into the puppet's eyes, watching his movements. They seemed to be fueled by some unknown hate, making them big, brash, and bold.</p><p>"Go help the others. I'll stay here and try to help Grayson." The chief ordered. Amanda sent one look at Brutus before leaving the office. Brutus put a hand on the chief's shoulder. "You'll figure it out. We'll get him back." With one final pat, Brutus left.</p><p>"Think, Carson. What would Dick do?" He muttered to himself. For a second, the puppet froze. The chief swore he could've seen a glint of recognition in it's eyes. But if it was there, it was quickly snuffed out, and his struggling resumed.</p><p>"That's something." The chief went to his desk, where a picture of the original squad™ sat. He picked it up and carried it to the puppet, who had momentarily stopped his struggling. The chief showed him the picture, a finger pointing to him. "That's you, Dickie. Can you recognize yourself? That's you."</p><p>Something there for sure. Once again, it was gone quickly. The chief moved his finger to Amanda's smiling face. "This is Amanda. She's our sister. My little, your big. She loves you more than the world, even if she won't admit it. You're the brother she always wanted, even though she's got em. Tell me you recognize something."</p><p>The puppet was starting to sweat, struggling again. His eyes flit between sorrowful and dead, fighting for control. "There we go. Look, this is Brutus." Dick looked troubled as he watched the chief. "You're the only one who can make him smile, Dickie. You and your smile, your jokes, the humor that cracks us up. You always say the weirdest things that make us wonder what you're thinking sometimes." The chief chuckled.</p><p>The puppet shook his head, trying to get himself together. He'd been told to kill these fools, he was the Warrior! But another side told him he couldn't, these were his family, he could never hurt them. The other side was starting to take over.</p><p>"This is Selina. She's always protective, but she's lenient at the same time. She almost had your head for touching that crystal. You used to love her dog, Charlie. He passed away about six months ago. How time flies."</p><p>Dick was doing anything to look away, to get out of there. Tears were welling behind his eyes, and he was struggling to keep them in. The cuffs were starting to dig into his skin.</p><p>"This is James, and this is Tom. They're not as close as we are, but they know you well enough. They're like big brothers that want to take care of you, but just don't really know how to do it. None of us do, really. You always manage to slip through our fingers." Dick dropped his head, trying to hide the tears that were starting to spill.</p><p>"Shh, it's OK, Dick. It's OK." The chief pulled Dick into a hug, ignoring the cuffs. "I-I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." Dick sobbed into the chief's shoulder. "It's OK, Dickie. No one blames you, and you haven't hurt anyone. Just breathe. In, out, in, out."</p><p>After a few minutes, Dick calmed down. "I'm going to unlock the cuffs. We still need you. We need your help. Do you think you can fight?" Dick nodded, tears streaming down his face. The chief gently wiped them away, quietly shushing him. "It's alright, Dickie. It's gonna be OK."</p><p>"I was that. close. To killing you. To killing all of you. I couldn't control my body, I couldn't do anything but watch as I went out to destroy everything. I don't know how I'm supposed to feel." "It wasn't your fault, Dick. Like you said, you had no control, you couldn't do anything." "But I should've been able to do something. I should've been able to stop myself, to get away from whatever drug they used. But I couldn't, and I didn't. I can't help but think that's my fault.</p><p>The chief finished unlocking the cuffs. "Look at me, Dick. What happened? Wasn't your fault. You had absolutely no control over the situation, and you shouldn't beat yourself up about it. We're fine, you haven't hurt anyone. Just breathe. Dry those tears." He wiped the tears off Dick's face, a sorrowful look to match Dick's on his face.</p><p>Dick wrapped his arms around the chief's waist, laying his head on the chief's shoulder. "Sorry. I'm freaking out right now." "It's ok, Dickie. You've got a reason. Now, let's kick some ass."</p><p>The two men ran out to the lobby, where the fight was still going on. The leader noticed the duo and cursed. "They've taken the Warrior! Retreat!" Any cult members not unconscious or cuffed ran away. A cheer went up, the officers celebrating the victory.</p><p>Amanda turned around and smiled. "Grayson!" Dick grunted as she tackled him, sending both of them to the ground. "Nice to see you too, Amanda." "You gave us a heart attack!" "Good to know. Can you get off of me?"</p><p>Amanda pulled him to his feet, laughing. Officers noticed the smile on Dick's face, and the joy in his eyes, and knew he was back. Everyone that wore a badge hugged him at some point, making sure Grayson knew he wasn't blamed. Not a bad day, after all.</p>
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<a name="section0053"><h2>53. Little boy in the street</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick shivered as he walked down the sidewalk. He'd been given patrol, but unfortunately there were no cars for him to use, because of something he'd been held off of, and it had decided to start raining. He was currently drenched, and very grumpy.</p><p>He stopped when a black umbrella rolled to his feet. He picked it up to see a little boy, maybe ten, running after it. "That's mine, mister! I'm sorry, I lost my grip." Dick smiled. "It's ok, kid. What's your name?" "I'm Richard." Dick smiled even wider. "Well, Richard, I'm Richard. But you can call me Dick."</p><p>Dick held the umbrella above Richard's head. "How bout I take you home? It's not really the best weather to be walking outside." "Thanks, Mr Dick!" Richard started walking, and Dick finally noticed his backpack.</p><p>It was black, just like the umbrella. It went from his shoulders to his hips. What caught Dick's eye was the Nightwing symbol on the bag. "You like Nightwing?" "Yeah! He's the best. But, aren't you gonna get under the umbrella, Dick?" "I'd take it all up! Besides, I was already wet."</p><p>Dick shook his head, showing his raven black locks, which were soaked. Richard laughed as the water from Dick's hair splashed him, like a dog shaking. "You know, you sound a lot like Nightwing." "You met him before?" "No, but I've seen him in person! He stopped a robbery outside my apartment. He made jokes, and had the same laugh as you!"</p><p>"Well, I'll tell you what: keep your head up, and you might see him again. Maybe I can talk to him, get him to pay you a visit." "Really?! You'd do that for me?" "Of course! Police are heroes too, and I'm sure I can get a favor, one hero to another." "Thank you!"</p><p>Richard stopped in front of an apartment complex, not too different from his own. Dick handed Richard the umbrella and waved. "See ya, Richard!" "Bye, Dick! Thank you!" "It's no problem." Dick smiled, the rain not so terrible anymore.</p>
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<a name="section0054"><h2>54. "Fake" date</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"So, what you're telling me is that one, our perp attacks couples at a club, two, the couples are all gay, and three, you want me and Wally to draw him out." Dick leaned against the wall, counting everything on his fingers. "That's exactly what I'm saying. I wouldn't get you two involved if I wasn't sure you'd come out alright. He only kidnaps the couples, doesn't kill em or anything." The chief nodded.</p><p>Dick sighed. "I'm up for it, but I'd have to ask Wally." "I'll wait. If anything happens, you get to tell me 'I told you so.' I just want to know if you could do it." "We can do it, I just want to make sure he's ok with it." "Understandable. You can go home and ask, or call him. It's up to you." "Thanks, chief."</p><p>Dick walked out of the room and tapped on Wally's speed dial. "This is Wally West, how can I help my spectacular boyfriend?" "Hey, babe. Chief's got a mission, and he wants to know if you'd be up for it." "I'm not exactly a cop." "No, but this is a special case. Gay couple have been kidnapped from a certain club, and he wants us to draw the guy out. I told him we could probably do it, but I wanted to ask you first." "Heck yes! Do you know how long I've been waiting for some action?"</p><p>Dick chuckled. "Alright. I'll get all the details and fill you in. See you later." "Love you." "Love you too." Wally ended the call, and Dick sighed. Man, he was lucky.</p><p>Dick walked back in. "We're game." "Great! This is the file, and all the information you'll need. We've planned to send you in three days from now, so that should give you time to get ready." Dick grabbed the file from the chief's hand. "And Dick?" "Yeah, chief?" "Be careful." "Will do."</p><p>When Dick came home, Wally picked him up and ran to the couch. "What's the rush for?" "What? Can't I be excited to see my beautiful boyfriend home safe?" "Wally, I've been doing files all day!" "Speaking of files, what's our info?"</p><p>"Was waiting till I got home to read it, that way we could go over it together." Dick pulled the file out and moved so he was comfortable. Wally read with Dick, not minding the slow pace for once. If it meant he got time with Dick without being shot at, he was happy.</p><p>"So, he uses drugs to abduct his victims?" Wally asked. "Yeah. He puts it in the alcohol they drink, and it sort of mimics drunkenness. So, the couple stumbles out into the alley next door, to get to their car, and they pass out. They only thing they know is a killer headache. They don't talk or think drunk, they just can't walk straight. Then, he swoops in, and the couple is gone." "And no one sees this?" "That alley is sort of like crime alley. You avoid it if you can. There's no apartments nearby, only clubs and stores."</p><p>"Well, this guy is definitely smart." "You're telling me." "Well, do we have a description?" "No. The club is a more popular club, so dozens of people talked to them. Not surprisingly, many were repeats for multiple couples. We've got three people that have talked to all five. First is Tony Maguire, a Caucasian male with blonde hair and brown eyes. Age thirty five." Dick tapped the picture.</p><p>"Didn't he play Spiderman?" "No, that's Toby Maguire. Tony just has the same last name." "Oh." "Yeah. Next is Marco Debize. African American, age forty three." "Does he look like Kaldur, or no?" "His picture is right here. But no, brown hair and brown eyes. He's a bit bigger."</p><p>"Wait, who's that guy?" "That's Matt Kile. Another Caucasian, age twenty six. Black hair, green eyes. Been at the club a little longer than the other two, but all of them have been there long enough to know the ins and outs. They don't drink a lot of alcohol, usually choosing ginger ale, or Sprite."</p><p>"That what tipped you off?" "Part of it. The couples just disappeared without a trace, meaning the kidnapper, or kidnappers, had to be sober. It would be a different story if people were trying to take the couples while drunk. One of them would've been able to escape and notify us. We're going two nights from now, so I want to memorize this." "Tell you what: why don't we go to bed early, and skip patrol for tonight? You can study this to your heart's contempt, but only until it's time for bed. That ok?"</p><p>"Yeah. You know I'm not thrilled about skipping patrol, though." "I know. But you need to sleep some. I know you, Dickie. If I didn't say no patrol, you wouldn't sleep at all." "The sad thing is…it's true." "Exactly. I'll make dinner, you study." "You're the best, babe."</p><p>That's what they did. Dick studied the file, memorizing every little detail. Wally made dinner, managing to not burn the apartment down in the process. It was actually pretty good, in Dick's opinion. It was a casserole of some sort, something Iris had made once.</p><p>When Wally had decided they get some sleep, about nine o'clock, Dick almost didn't want to put the file down. But he'd promised Wally he'd go to sleep early, so that's what he did. He fell asleep in Wally's arms, the file resting on his nightstand.</p><p>Two nights later, and the duo were in the club. Since it was a nicer club, they were in suits, and the sight of Wally in a suit was enough to make Dick faint. They walked to the bar, Wally holding Dick around his waist. They made it very obvious they were a couple.</p><p>Wally ordered a shot of whiskey, knowing his metabolism would snuff it out quickly. Dick just got a Sprite, being on duty and all. They talked, Wally trying his ridiculous pickup lines and jokes on Dick.</p><p>The first one to approach them was Matt. He shook their hands, introducing himself as the head of a chemical company. His smile seemed real, but Dick knew many criminals were great actors. After a few minutes, Matt walked off. "Suspicion radar going off?" Wally whispered. "Yeah. You know a lot of criminals are really good actors. I don't want to get fooled by this guy."</p><p>Marco and Tony approached them at the same time. They were lawyers, working to make LGBTQ+ lives easier. They knew about all the backlash people got, and we're trying to figure out some way to stop it. Wally got along swell with Marco, and Dick with Tony.</p><p>Dick groaned, grabbing his head. "You ok, babe?" Wally asked, grabbing his free hand. "Just a headache. I'll be fine." "Why don't we step outside for a bit, see if that clears it? It was great meeting you guys." "You too. Take care, y'all." Marco waved.</p><p>Wally supported Dick as they walked, keeping one arm around his waist. "Is it going away?" "No…it's just getting worse." Dick stumbled a little, causing Wally to catch him. "Alright. Let's get you home." Wally picked the Ebony up, an idea already forming. They'd drugged Dick.</p><p>Wally froze when something metallic rested on the back of his head. "Don't move." "Not moving." Whoever it was stayed out of Wally's sight. "Who are you? The drugs ain't working." "Fast metabolism. Drugs don't work on me." "Walls? What's going on?" Dick was flitting between consciousness and unconsciousness. "Don't worry about it, Dickie. We're just talking."</p><p>Dick groaned as he lost consciousness. "There's a truck at the end of the alley. You get in the back, taking him with you, and you don't say a word. Move." Wally walked forward, looking for the truck. As soon as he saw it, he read the license plate, memorizing it.</p><p>Wally got into the back, back facing the door. "Now, stay still." Wally was about to ask why when the back of the gun hit his head. He collapsed in the seat, Dick under him. The last thing he saw before going unconscious was Dick's pained face.</p>
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<a name="section0055"><h2>55. "Fake" date 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wally groaned as he woke up. He was in some sort of cage, Dick next to him. Wally sat up and rubbed his head, where it has been hit. "Where are we?" "You're at the shack, kid. You got kidnapped before you're gay, surprise surprise." One of the guys from the cage across from him said.</p><p>"Who are you?" "Name's Don. This is Jackson. You?" "I'm Wally. Dick's still unconscious." "You alright?" "His drug didn't work on me, so he knocked me out with a gun. How long have you been here?" "About five days. He feeds us once a day, so we keep track through that."</p><p>Dick groaned, catching Wally's attention. He pulled the Ebony to his chest and waited for him to open his eyes. They did after about fifteen seconds, confused and unfocused. "Wally?" "Yeah, it's me, babe. How are you feeling?" "Weak, with a headache. Where are we?" "They managed to grab us. You were drugged, and he knocked me out with a gun." "You ok?" "Yeah, I'm fine."</p><p>Dick nuzzled into Wally's chest, curling up. Wally leaned against the back of the cage, being careful. "You think the others know what happened?" Dick mumbled. "Probably. If it's been as long as I think it has, you should've been at work by now. Is your tracker active?" Dick looked at the tracker he'd placed in his cuff. "No. I can turn it back on, though."</p><p>Dick wormed his fingernail into a thin slit between the case and flipped a small switch. The light turned back on, and Dick sighed. "That's only for emergencies. It'll get to Bruce, and he'll be here soon. I hope."</p><p>"You ok, kid?" Don asked. "Yeah. Don Millers?" "How'd you know?" "I'm part of the police force. Was supposed to be drawing the guy out, not getting kidnapped by him. Amanda's gonna kill me again." "No offense, but you're kinda sucking at your job." "Don't have to tell me twice." Dick chuckled.</p><p>"Who all is here?" "You already know me, and this is my boyfriend, Jackson. That's Marty and Jay, they're married, that's Noah and William, boyfriends, Alexander and Ethan, and then Benjamin and Jacob, also boyfriends." "We're dating as well. This is Dick, and I'm Wally." A chorus of "hellos" and "hi's" rang out.</p><p>"Have any of you seen the guy's face?" "Not all of it, but I can tell you he's white with black hair." "That's Matt." Dick cursed under his breath. "I knew he seemed weird." "What you talking bout?" Jacob asked. "I'm a cop. I was sent out with Wally to bait the guy into the open. There were three suspects, and Matt is the only one that fits that description." "You're not-" Ethan began. "Doing the best at my job, I know, I suck." "You read minds?" "No. Heard it before." "How?" "You really think this is my first time being kidnapped?"</p><p>"Wait a second, do I know you? You seem…familiar." Marty asked. "Lots of people know me. Being the son of a billionaire does that to a person." "That's where I knew you from! You're Dick Grayson!" "Yeah, and you're Marty David. That's an Islamic last name, right?" "Yeah, pronounced DAvEEd. Like Ziva from NCIS." "Figured."</p><p>Everyone stopped talking as the door opened. Dick and Wally flinched as the bright lights turned on, hiding their faces. Groans rang out, showing the others were just as bothered.</p><p>"Shut up!" Matt slammed his fist onto the bars of Dick's cage, making him jump. "We got some newbies, and they need to know the rules. First off, I'm your new master. Whatever I tell you to do, you do it. Or your significant other takes the fall. Second, you don't say a word. If you do, you and your partner face punishment. Punishment can be anywhere from starvation to anything sexual. You're used to it, being gay.</p><p>"Third, when you're given an order, it's expected to be followed immediately and exactly. No goofing off. Punishment can be given easily." Dick was really wishing Bruce would hurry. "You get food once a day, water twice. You get desserts if you're especially good. So, follow the rules, or face punishment. See you!"</p><p>The door slammed again, and the lights went out. Dick hid his face in Wally's neck, hands drawn to his chest. "It's gonna be ok, babe. Bruce'll be here any minute." Wally whispered. "Can that minute be now? I want to go home." Dick whimpered. "I know, babe. I know. I do too."</p><p>Wally laid down and pulled Dick closer. "It's gonna be ok, alright? Let's get some sleep for now." Wally kissed Dick's forehead and rested their foreheads together. Dick nodded and wrapped his arms around Wally's waist.<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Bruce was in the Batcave when the emergency signal came through. He'd heard about the situation in Blüdhaven, and was about to head over. But with Dick in danger, he wasn't waiting.</p><p>"Alfred, I'll be out late tonight." "I presume Master Dick was caught?" "Yes. I need to get him back before anything happens to him or Wally." "Are you taking to the boy, Master Bruce?" "Somewhat. Besides, Dick would kill me if anything happened to him." "Truer words were never spoken."</p><p>Bruce drove off in the batmobile, making his way through the quick turns out the city. The driver to Blüdhaven, which was normally two hours, was shortened to thirty minutes. Bruce stopped about a block away from Dick's location, wanting to get some surprise in his attack.</p><p>Batman snuck through the warehouse, watching carefully. A living space with a couch, tv, kitchen, and bed took up most of the main room. There was another area, sort of like a tool shed, built into the left corner. Batman silently made his way over, noticing the light was on inside. He opened the door and stepped in. "Don't move."<br/>➰➰➰<br/>Dick woke up about what he assumed to be ten minutes later, the lights turned on. He and Wally were quick to sit up, pressing into the back of the cage. Matt walked over, unlocked the cage, and dragged Dick out. He tried to grab Wally's hand, but the cage was slammed shut.</p><p>Matt pulled Dick to his chest and placed a knife against his neck. "Don't move, don't speak. Otherwise, I will slit your throat, and your boyfriend's next. Nod if you understand." Dick nodded, glancing at Wally from the corner of his eyes. Wally looked worried, and Dick couldn't blame them. Dick curled his hands into a fist and stuck out his pinkie, pointer, and thumb. I love you.</p><p>The door opened, and Dick could see why he'd been pulled out. "Don't move." Matt demanded of Batman, putting pressure behind the knife. Dick swallowed the saliva that had been building up. Matt had his arm wrapped around Dick's chest, making it impossible for him to move away.</p><p>Batman froze, his lenses narrowing. "You make one move, I'll cut his throat so deep he ain't gonna survive." "What do you want?" Batman asked, still as a rock. "Gay couple are overrated. Been taking em one by one so they know their decision to like boys landed them in this. Just admit that you can't date and live alone."</p><p>Dick noticed a small knife on Matt's belt. He slowly slid it out of the holster, making sure Matt was focused on Batman. "What if they fell in love with the other because that's what their heart told them? They knew it was that one person? Not everyone just accepted who they were at first." "Boo hoo. They still accepted themselves, because they were pathetic enough."</p><p>Dick stared Batman in the eye, giving him a look. Be ready to move. Dick plunged the knife into Matt's arm. Matt screamed, and Dick ripped himself out of Matt's grip. One punch from Batman, and Matt was unconscious on the floor.</p><p>Dick knelt down and unlocked the cage holding Wally, pulling the door open. Wally practically tackled him in a hug. "I was so worried." "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."</p><p>Wally kissed Dick. "It's ok. Let's get these guys out of here, and let's get into an actual bed." Batman looked up from where he'd finished cuffing and disarming Matt to see Dick and Wally letting the others out. Dick had a red indent from where the knife had pressed against his neck.</p><p>Once everyone was out, Dick called the chief. "Grayson? Where are you? You didn't show up for work yesterday!" "I know. Guy was Matt Kile, got the drop off me and Wally. We're out, and I'm bringing him to the station. The five couples are fine, they're here with me." "Bring them to the station. We need to get statements." "Will do. We're at the old warehouse near the club. A few cars might be nice." "We'll send em. Thanks, Grayson." "Just doing my job."</p><p>Dick ended the call. "Alright. Chief's on his way with a few cars. You'll need to give statements, but after that, you're good to go home." "Thank you. If there's anything we can do, just let us know." Don smiled. "I'm just doing my job. Don't get kidnapped anymore, and we'll call it even." Dick smiled back.</p><p>"Well, I think we can say that date was a bust." Wally smirked as he wrapped his arm around Dick's waist. "How about I make it up to you tonight?" "Dinner and a movie?" "If you play your cards right." "Well then, deal me in." "Get a room, you two!" Jackson yelled, covering his ears.</p>
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<a name="section0056"><h2>56. Chosen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The squad™ conversed as they sat in Dick's apartment. Due to some unfavorable conditions one patrol, Dick was ill. Tim was talking with Amanda and Brutus, Jason with Tom, Damian with James, and Bruce with the chief when Dick walked out.</p><p>He didn't say a word, just walked over to the chief and collapsed in his lap. He fell asleep again, leaving a very confused chief. "What do I do?" "Nothing. You've been Chosen."</p><p>"Chosen?" Amanda asked. "Dick's mind can get muddled when he's sick, or injured, and he has a tendency to wander. If he sees someone, he'll go over and fall asleep on them. It's like when a cat lays on your lap, you don't want to wake them up. Basically, Dick's mind saw you and said, 'This person looks comfortable. I'll sleep here.' Doesn't happen often, which is why we call it Chosen." Jason explained.</p><p>"Oh." Dick snuggled into the chief, making everyone "D'awwww." "He really is like a cat, isn't he?" "Only when he's sick. Otherwise, he's like the happy-go-lucky golden retriever. Is the hand towel still on his forehead?" Tim asked. "No. It probably fell off during his wandering."</p><p>Damian stood up. "I'll find it." He walked out of the room, and it went silent. No one wanted to risk waking Dick, as he looked adorable curled in the chief's lap. His head rested on the chief's collarbone, making him seem like the young man he was supposed to be.</p><p>The chief wrapped one arm around Dick's waist. Dick tried to dig himself in the embrace further, pressing into the chief. Bruce smiled and carried a blanket over. He covered Dick with the blanket, ruffling his hair. The chief put his hand on Dick's shoulder, holding the blanket up.</p><p>Damian came back with the damp towel and resoaked it before placing it on Dick's forehead. Dick sighed, the cool water feeling like heaven. The talking resumed, but much quieter than it had originally been.</p><p>They talked for about two hours. Dick's gentle breathing could only be heard by the chief and the people right next to him. He slept peacefully, which was strange when he was sick. Normally, he couldn't sleep because he felt so bad.</p><p>"So, what happens when he wakes up again?" Amanda asked. "He normally goes back to wandering. It's his body saying he needs to move, no matter how bad he feels. That is, until he collapses again." "How come we've never seen this before?" "He's normally pretty good at hiding it. He has to be feeling really bad to wander around strangers. But, since he's gotten to know you more and get more comfortable around you, he's more open to wandering around you."</p><p>"How long does he usually sleep?" "About three to four hours. Five, if he's exhausted. He'll probably be wandering again soon." Amanda nodded before pulling her phone out. "You mind if I take a picture? This is adorable." Bruce shook his head. "Just don't post it on anything." Amanda nodded and took the picture, smiling at the cute sight.</p><p>Dick woke up about an hour and a half later. "Hey, Dickie. How you feeling?" "Tired. Sorry I just laid here." "It's no problem, Dick. They explained your wandering thing." "Oh." Dick snuggled into the chief again.</p><p>A harsh coughing fit made its way out of Dick's throat. The chief held him close as he coughed, rattling both of them. Dick panted once he was done, laying limply. The chief ran his fingers through Dick's hair. "I hate being sick." "I know, Dick. I know." Dick fell asleep again, nuzzled into the chief's chest. "Now I see why he chose you." Jason smiled.</p>
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<a name="section0057"><h2>57. The baby</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick came into the precinct one day to see a crowd around Amanda's desk. Curious, he walked over to see what was going on. There seemed to be plenty of excitement, so it wasn't bad. Of course, being the short person he was, he had to push through the crowd to see it.</p><p>Amanda was holding a baby. A small baby, maybe two months old. It was sleeping, and was wrapped in a small blanket. "New baby? I didn't know you had been pregnant, Amanda." Dick chuckled. "Not mine. We found it on patrol, just in the street. I'm holding onto it until social services can get over here, or until the parents are found."</p><p>"Do you mind?" Dick held his arms out. "Not at all. Here." Amanda gently handed it to him. He cradled it to his chest, a smile on his face. It was so small! Nice to see I'm not the only small person in this building. "Guy or girl?" "Girl."</p><p>The baby opened its eyes. "Hey, bud. How're you?" Dick whispered. The baby laughed and reached for Dick's face. "You're a baby whisperer?" "No. I just asked a question."</p><p>"Dada." Dick froze. "Did she just?" "That she did. Congrats, Dickie, you've graduated to Dad." Brutus smiled. Her striking blue eyes glittered with joy. "Well, we've gotta give you a name, don't we?" "We haven't come up with one. Couldn't stop arguing about it." "Well, in that case, how about Mara?"</p><p>Dick held his finger out. Mara grabbed it and giggled. Dick's heart melted. This little girl thought he was her daddy. She had no hair yet, but he could imagine her with any color.</p><p>"You ok, Grayson? You look like you might collapse." "Yeah, I'm fine. Might faint from happiness, but I'm fine." "Well, in that case, I'll take Mara." Amanda went to take Mara back. Dick handed Mara to Amanda, but Mara held onto Dick's finger.</p><p>Mara started squirming, reaching for Dick. "Ok, maybe I won't. What did you do to this child?" "Become her dad, apparently. Gotta come up with some dad jokes." Dick chuckled as Amanda handed Mara back. "Please don't. We can barely handle you without them."</p><p>Mara yawned and closed her eyes. "I'm going to sit down." "Probably a good idea." Amanda directed him to her chair, smiling. "So, what's Wally going to think?" "What Wally going to think about what?"</p><p>Everyone looked up as said speedster walked in. "Hey, babe. They found a baby on patrol, and she's taken to me." "We had to sit him down before he fainted." Amanda joked. "Well, let's see the little girl that's won my boyfriend's heart. I don't want competition unless it's good competition."</p><p>Wally walked up and smiled. "Well, looks like I do have some good competition. What's her name?" "Mara. I think you'd like her." "If she makes you happy, I'm positive I'll love her." "Get a room!" "You know how many times I've heard that recently? Especially with that kidnapping case? We'd get one, except we never get any time in it."</p><p>The chief walked in to see Wally leaning against Amanda's desk, next to Dick, who had the baby in his arms. "So, Grayson the baby whisperer?" "More like Grayson the dad. She took to him right away, and won't let herself be taken away." Amanda laughed.</p><p>"I said I had to come up with some dad jokes." "Please no." "Why does everyone say that?" "We can barely handle you!" The department said unanimously.</p><p>Mara whimpered as she woke up. "Look what you did! Hey Mara." Dick playfully scowled. Mara hiccuped and reached for Dick again. Dick grabbed her finger and gently shushed her. "It's ok, Mara. Go back to sleep."</p><p>Mara buried her face in Dick's chest. "Ok, never held a baby before. What do I do?" "If you put her head on your chest, let her listen to your heartbeat, it might calm her down." James suggested. Dick followed, letting Mara's head rest over his heart. Mara calmed down, still holding onto his finger.</p><p>Dick sighed, thankful she wasn't going to insist on staying up. "How long until social services are supposed to be here?" "A day or two. Something came up with their files, and they have to make sure they've got everything before they can take another kid."</p><p>Dick looked up hopefully at Wally. Wally sighed, but smiled. "If it's ok with them, it's ok with me." "What are you two taking about now?" "Dick was wondering if we could watch over Mara until social services showed up."</p><p>"Can you two handle a baby? Waking up at two in the morning, the food needed?" The chief asked. "First off all, I'm always up at two. Second of all, I live with this guy over here. I can handle a baby for a few days." Dick smiled. "I suppose. If you're sure, I'm ok with it." Dick's grin turned into a Cheshire grin. "Looks like we're dads for a few days."</p>
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<a name="section0058"><h2>58. The baby 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wally came into a silent apartment, not unusual since the newest arrival. Dick was asleep on the couch, Mara on his chest. He and Mara had been stuck like glue, and with the chief giving Dick a few days off, it had only increased the bond. Dick acted like a mother, caring for the baby with as much love as he could.</p><p>Wally was worried for when social services finally came. Dick had grown so close to the little girl, and Wally didn't want to see his heart broken. Mara made him so happy, and that made Wally happy.</p><p>Wally gently shook Dick's shoulder, waiting for the blue orbs he loved. When they did appear, he smiled. "Hey, babe. I'm going to make dinner, and I figured you would want to feed Mara." Dick nodded and slowly sat up, keeping Mara asleep. Wally kissed his forehead and went to make the food.</p><p>Dick got the bottle and powder he'd bought after bringing Mara home and made the milk. Mara seemed to sense it was time to eat, and woke up. "Hey, baby girl. How are you today?" Dick smiled, directions the bottle towards her mouth.</p><p>She grabbed the bottle and started drinking, making Dick chuckle. Mara's little laugh, her brilliant blue eyes, it all lifted Dick's spirit. Wally wrapped an arm around Dick's waist and smiled lovingly. "She looks like you." "Really? She's got your mischief in her eyes."</p><p>The phone started ringing, and Wally went to get it. Dick watched, still paying attention to Mara. "This is the future Grayson-West residence. How can I help you?" "Wally, this is the chief. Social services are here, and they've found a home for Mara. We need you to bring her here, to the precinct." Wally's heart fell. "We'll be right over."</p><p>Wally ended the call and sighed. "Social services have finally come, and they've found a home for Mara. We need to take her." Dick's face crumbled. "I know, babe. I love her too. But it's too dangerous in our line of work, and they've already found a home for her. She won't spend any time in a orphanage." Wally attempted to comfort him.</p><p>"I know, I just...she makes me happy." "I know, babe. I really do. But I promise, she'll be happy and taken care of." Dick bit his lip, but nodded. Wally grabbed the diaper bag they'd been carrying with them and led Dick out the door.</p><p>The ride was silent. Dick sat with Mara in the back, letting her hold onto his finger. Mara playfully nibbled on it, teething already. Dick had to hold back tears. "I love you, Mara." Dick kissed her forehead.</p><p>At the precinct, Dick carried Mara in, along with a heavy heart. A woman in a dress shirt and pencil skirt stood by his desk. "Richard Grayson-West?" "That's my future name. Wedding hasn't happened yet.." "My name is Skylar Dorrin. I'm here to take Mara to get new home." Dick nodded and carefully handed Mara to Skylar. Mara whimpered and reached for Dick, and Dick had to restrain himself from taking Mara back.</p><p>"Thank you for taking care of her. I promise, she's going to a safe home." "She likes to grab onto fingers, and she's started teething." Wally grabbed Dick's hand, a concerned look on his face. "Thank you for the information. Good day, gentlemen." Skylar walked away, a crying Mara in his arms.</p><p>"Let's get you home, babe." Wally gently pulled Dick along, leading him to the car. He sat in the back with Dick, holding Dick's hands. "Hey, look at me, babe." Dick looked up, tears lining his eyes.</p><p>"She's gonna be ok. I'll see if I can check up on her in a few days." Dick nodded, choking back tears. "C'mere." Wally pulled Dick into a hug, his cheek resting on the side of Dick's head.</p><p>Dick wrapped his arms around Wally and started crying, heart screaming for Mara. "It's gonna be ok, babe. I'm gonna miss her too." "I want her back. I want my Mara." "I know, Dickie. But this family can take care of her, better than we can. It's gonna be ok."<br/>➰➰➰<br/>A week later, and Dick still wasn't ok. He didn't sleep as well, Wally often woke up to the bed being empty. He'd caught Dick holding Mara's bottle, just staring at it. He had pictures on his phone, unable to bring himself to delete them.</p><p>So, Wally decided to do something about it. Thanks to one lucky patrol, Wally had found the perfect thing. He talked with Clancy, telling her about how Dick was grieving, and needed something to help him. It almost didn't make it with the rules, but Clancy was willing to make an exception for Dick.</p><p>Wally came in one day, his surprise in a box with holes. Dick was sitting on the couch, holding Mara's bottle again. "Hey, babe. I've got something for you." Dick looked up slowly.</p><p>"I know you still miss Mara. So, one day during patrol, I found this little guy in an alley. I brought him and got him vaccinated, and Clancy is willing to make an exception to the rules for you. Here, open it." Wally handed the box to Dick.</p><p>Dick carefully set Mara's bottle on the coffee table and started to open the box. Wally waited, his phone recording. Dick took the top off and gasped, tears coming to his eyes.</p><p>In the box was a puppy. A puppy with golden fur and brilliant, blue eyes. "His name is Martan. He's ours to keep, Dick. He's about six months old, and he's a golden retriever." Wally explained as Dick slowly took Martan out of the box. He cradled Martan up his chest and started crying.</p><p>"Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you so much!" Wally laughed and pulled Dick into a hug, making sure to not crush Martan. "I wanted to wait until you knew so we could buy supplies. I've been making a collar for him, with some help from the vets."</p><p>Wally pulled out a black collar, the pattern alternating between the Nightwing and the Kid Flash symbol. He clipped it onto Martan, who was licking Dick's face. Wally picked the two up and carried them to the bed, smiling all the time.</p><p>Dick would never forget Mara. She had a place in his heart, especially once he learned she was staying in Blüdhaven. But Wally and Martan were there for him, to help him through the grief of losing Mara. If he ever needed someone to take care of Martan on a moments notice, all he had to do was ask one of the many officers, or family members. He was really lucky to know them.</p>
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<a name="section0059"><h2>59. The boy in the street 2</h2></a>
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    <p>Richard watched out the window, his Nightwing plushie in his arms. Dick had said he could get Nightwing to visit, and Richard wanted to be wide awake. He sat on his bed, bouncing sightly. He was so excited!</p><p>A knock on his window startled him. Richard smiled as Nightwing came into view, hanging upside down. "Hey, kid! Nice plushie. Friends of mine tells me you're a fan." Richard opened his window. "Yes, I am! Would you like to come in?" "Sure!"</p><p>Nightwing. In his room. Talking to him. Richard thought he was going to explode. "So, I hear you say me fight once?" "Yeah! You were right outside my window with about ten guys on you!" Nightwing laughed. "I remember that! I thought someone was watching me." He pulled Richard into his lap and started poking his stomach, making him giggle.</p><p>"So, how old are you?" "I'm ten and a half!" "Gotta remember that half! How're you doing in school?" "Pretty well. I'm not the greatest at English, which everyone is surprised at, because I read a lot! I like to read, I just don't always like to answer the questions." "I had that same problem. If you stay focused, it'll go away."</p><p>"Any girls catch your attention yet?" Nightwing whispered in his ear. "No! Girls have cooties." "Ok. This is gonna sound weird, but what about guys?" Richard blushed. "There is this guy in my grade. He's really sweet, and really pretty. But I'm scared my parents will hate me if I date him." Nightwing smiled. "Looks like we have a lot in common."</p><p>"Wait, what?" "I dealt with that same problem when I was thirteen. Turns out the guy I loved was my best friend. Thought my dad was going to hate me, but it turned out ok. I'm getting married to him in three weeks." No. Way. Nightwing was like him!</p><p>"You ok, kid?" "Think I might pass out." "Alright. Let's get you to sleep. Want a picture to show your friends?" "Yes!" Nightwing laughed and pulled out a phone. "I'll get this printed, then you can show everyone. Smile!" Richard smiled as he stared into the camera, a huge joy in his heart. He'd meet his hero, who was everything like he'd imagined.</p><p>"Alright, I got it. I'll send it to you in a few days. Get some sleep, Richard." "Stay safe! And I will!" Nightwing smiled and climbed out the window again. "Wait, how did he know my name?"</p>
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<a name="section0060"><h2>60. Deaged</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick groaned as he woke up, rubbing his head. Wait, why were his hands so small? He sat up, moved his hand and yelped in surprise. He was tiny! He could still take up most of the bed, but everything seemed taller.</p><p>His breathing picked up as he looked over himself. Everything was the size it was when he was eight. Why was he eight again? "Dick? Are you awake?" "Wally?" Yep. That confirmed it. Dick was an eight year old.</p><p>"Hey. You feeling ok?" Wally walked into the room, stopping at the door. "Am I feeling ok? I just got turned into a eight year old! How am I supposed to be feeling?!" Dick swung his legs around. Wally sped over and picked him up, not letting his feet touch the ground.</p><p>"What are you doing?" "What do you remember?" "What?" "What. Do you. Remember? Do you remember who did this?" "I don't even remember what happened yesterday! How am I supposed to remember what happened?" "Ok, ok. Calm down. Just breathe." Wally set Dick on the bed before sitting down himself. "What happened?"</p><p>"You showed up here last night, exhausted. You wanted to tell me something, but passed out before you could. You've been shrinking all night." "Have I stopped?" "Yeah. Whatever got you seems to take about fifteen years off your life."</p><p>Dick put his head in his hands and sighed. "Am I stuck like this?" "I don't know. But you've gotta stay calm, ok? Breathe in, and out." Wally gently pulled Dick's head up. "Stay calm? When have I ever been calm?" "Never, but I need you to stay as calm as possible. I promise, we're going to fix this." Wally gently kissed Dick's forehead. "Sorry, Walls. I'm just frustrated." "I can tell. So we'll stay here until you're not."</p><p>Dick curled up in Wally's lap. Being the size he was, he could easily fit. Wally curled slightly, as if to protect the small child. He wasn't messing around when it came to Dick's safety.</p><p>After a few minutes, Dick sighed. "I'm ok." "Are you sure?" "Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure. I'm ok." Wally picked Dick up again and carried him to the couch. Dick curled in one corner of the couch, his back facing the arm rest. Wally tucked a blanket around his waist, watching Dick's face. "Hungry?"</p><p>Dick shrugged. "Not really. I don't have much of an appetite." Wally frowned and felt Dick's forehead. "You're not sick. Wanna try something?" "I guess. I don't really know." Wally could see Dick tapping on his arm.</p><p>"Nervous?" Dick looked down at his hand. "Sort of. I honestly didn't know I was doing it." "Are you sure you're ok? You seem really out of it." Wally sat down in front of Dick. "I don't know, Wally. Is being turned from a twenty three year old to an eight year old ok?" "Alright, C'mere."</p><p>Wally pulled Dick into his lap again. "What are you doing?" "Cuddling you." Dick leaned into the embrace. Wally chuckled. "Still very cuddly, huh?" "Shut up and keep hugging me." Wally laughed. That was his Dickie.</p><p>Dick yawned and nuzzled into Wally. "Tired? You just woke up." "I know. Probably just morning lag." "Is that even a thing?" "Dunno." "We're keeping an eye on this. I don't think this is exactly healthy." "Hmm." "You hear me?" "Hmm? Yeah, not healthy."</p><p>Wally frowned. Kids weren't normally this tired in the morning, right? He'd had a few rough mornings himself, but he never remembered being that tired. "Hey, stay awake. I don't want anything happening." "Wha? Oh, yeah. I'm good." Dick groaned as he sat up, rubbing his tired eyes.</p><p>"Are you sure you're ok? You're not feeling sick, are you?" "No, Wally. I'm perfectly fine." "No, you're not. I know you, Dick. You're not ok." "Really I'm fi-" Dick started coughing, interrupting his sentence. "My point exactly. We should call a doctor, Dick."</p><p>Dick paled. "No. No doctors. No needles." Wally shushed him and pulled him close again. "Just for a check up, Dick. Nothing serious. If it comes to a needle, I'll handle it, ok?" "No, no, no." Dick trembled slightly, surprising Wally. Dick normally had no problem with needles.</p><p>Dick dug himself into Wally's chest, trying to control himself. Being eight again meant he was very emotional. Tears lined his eyes, but he was determined to keep them in. Wally curled again, surrounding Dick in his warm embrace. "It's ok to cry, Dick. I'm not going to judge."</p><p>"I don't want to cry. I feel childish." "You're eight years old!" "Twenty three, really." "You know what I mean. Besides, it's better to get them out now instead of later." Dick opened his mouth to say something, but coughed again.</p><p>Wally ran his fingers through Dick's hair. Dick seemed to like it, and leaned into the hand. "I'm going to call Leslie, ok? She'll know what to do." Dick nodded, still shaking. "Alright. I'm going to grab my phone and call her. Will you be ok for a few minutes?" "I'll be fine, Wally. I'll probably just be in the same spot."</p><p>Wally nodded and gently moved Dick so he sat against the arm rest again. He sped off to find his phone, which ended up being on the charger. A small fit of coughs came from the couch, reminding Wally that his fiancé was not only tiny, but sick. That shouldn't be something I forget, even temporarily. Wally mentally chided himself.</p><p>"This is Leslie." "Hey, Leslie. So, something happened to Dick last night. He got deaged, and he's sick. Do you mind checking him out?" "Not at all. I'll be over in about an hour or so. Gotham isn't there closest place." "I know. But with this stuff, I only trust the best." "Save the cheesy stuff for Dick. He's the only one who finds it charming." "See you soon, Leslie."</p><p>Wally ended the call and silently walked back into the living room. Dick was curled into a ball, softly snoring. Wally smiled and pulled the blanket up a little, ruffling Dick's hair. He was starting to look sick now, pale and tired.</p><p>Wally was worried, of course he was. He just didn't know of it was a boyfriend worried or a parent worried. Could he still call Dick his fiancé in this state? Would that make him a pedophile?</p><p>Wally sat down next to Dick and pulled the eight year old into his lap. Dick coughed and snuggled into Wally, feeling horrible. Since when had being sick ever felt this bad? Dick couldn't remember any time.</p><p>Leslie knocked on the door about an hour and a half later. Wally laid Dick out and kissed his forehead before going to answer the door. "Sorry I'm late. Traffic caught me." Leslie apologized as she entered. "It's no problem. He's on the couch asleep." "When did he wake up?" "About nine a.m. He's been asleep for forty minutes."</p><p>Leslie walked over to the small figure on the couch, who had curled in on himself. Dick cracked his eyes open as Leslie put her hand on his forehead, staring with glazed eyes. "Hey, Dick. How are you feeling?" "Sick." Dick coughed again, causing Leslie to worry. His cough didn't sound good.</p><p>Dick mumbled and pulled the blanket closer, trying to hide from the bad feeling. Wally watched, the young boy/man on the couch his top priority. Leslie propped a pillow under his head and sighed. "It's looking like a very bad fever. You'll need to keep a wet towel on his forehead, to keep him cool. He might not be hungry, but you'll need to get him to eat. Even if it's just something small, he needs to eat."</p><p>"Do you think you could find out if he'll turn back?" "I've had a few cases recently. They normally stay kids for about three days before turning back. On the last day, his fever will spike, so be prepared. He might be spending a lot of time in front of the toilet. On that day, it'll be better for him not to eat anything." "Thank you, Leslie. For driving it here in traffic, especially." "It's no problem. Keep him in the couch, no matter how much he whines." "Will do."</p><p>Leslie left, and Wally sighed. "Looks like you're sick for a few days, dude." Dick just groaned and tried to envelope himself in the couch cushions. "Do you want anything?" "Can I get some water?" "Of course. Get some rest, Dickie. Don't do anything stupid." "How can I? The stupid belongs to you." Wally chuckled. Even sick, the little boy had a sense of sarcasm.</p><p>Wally grabbed a cup of water and soaked a hand towel. He placed the towel on Dick's forehead and handed him the cup. Dick drank slowly, trying to make sure his shaking hands didn't lose their grip. "Feeling better?" "A little. I just want to sleep all day." "Then go ahead and sleep all day. I'll wake you for lunch."</p><p>Dick handed Wally the cup and laid back down. Wally pulled up the blanket and kissed Dick's forehead. "Sweet dreams, Dickie." "Night, Walls." Dick mumbled as he drifted off. Wally smoothed Dick's hair down before turning the light off. Dick looked so peaceful, despite feeling like crap. Maybe this wouldn't be bad.</p>
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<a name="section0061"><h2>61. Deaged 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The fever kept Dick up most of the day. Wally was there the whole time, trying to keep the eight year old calm. He'd thrown up thrice in the span of two hours.</p><p>"Wally, I'm hot." "I know, baby. I've got the air down, but I don't know how much cold air you need. I don't want to get you sick again." Wally kissed Dick's forehead. Dick whined and kicked off the blankets, which revealed sweaty skin.</p><p>Dick was panting, trying to breathe while not throwing up. "You think Manda knows?" Wally widened his eyes. "Crap. She's gonna kill me!" Wally reached for his phone, shivering at the thought of the female getting her hands on him.</p><p>"Did you forget to call me in sick?" "Yes, I did. Oh, I hope she's not already here." Dick chuckled, but groaned and clutched his stomach. "You find that funny? I could die!" "You'll be fine. Just tell her I'm deaged. She'll understand."</p><p>Wally put the phone to his ear and bit his lip. Amanda answered after only one ring, not surprising Wally. "Where the hell have you been? I've been trying to call you for hours! Where's Dick?" "Hey, Amanda. I've been taking care of Dick, who's now eight years old and sick. In all the hassle, I forgot to tell you." "Is he up for visitors?"</p><p>Wally looked down at Dick. "Not many. Two or three more at the most. He's really sick." "I'm on my way. Don't do this again." "I won't." "That's what you said the last time. And the time before that. And the time before that." "I panic easily, especially if Dick's hurt. Excuse me if something slips my mind while my fiancé is sick, or hurt."</p><p>Dick coughed, earning Wally's attention. "I've gotta go. I'll talk to you later." "See ya." Wally ended the call and sat down on the floor next to Dick. "How are you feeling?" "Tired. Sore. Hot. Got a huge headache." "Alright. I'll get some pain relievers, then you try to sleep."</p><p>"Will you stay?" "Of course. Why would I ever leave?" "I dunno. Just don't." "I won't leave you, Dick. Not now, not ever." Wait kissed Dick's forehead. Dick snuggled into the couch, a blanket wrapped around his legs for some reason.</p><p>Wally grabbed two small pulled and handed them to Dick, who swallowed them. Wally also handed him a glass of water, which he used to wash the pills down. Dick gave the glass back to Wally and closed his eyes, growing more tired by the second. Soft snores followed not long after, and Wally sighed. "Sweet dreams, Dickie."</p>
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<a name="section0062"><h2>62. Abusive</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick really didn't want to get out of bed. It was warm, and he was comfortable. So when the phone started ringing at three in the morning, Dick was pissed. He had gotten off of patrol an hour ago, and was exhausted.</p><p>Dick begrudgingly grabbed the phone, answering the call. "It's three in the morning, Manda. What do you want?" "Got a guy at the station asking for you." "I'm on my way, but you can't be mad if I come in late." "I know. Just come in and check the guy out. I'll get you coffee in the morning."</p><p>Dick sighed, but got out of bed. Wally shifted, trying to figure out where the warmth went. Dick tucked the blanket around Wally and kissed his forehead, trying to keep the speedster asleep. He'd been up as long as Dick had, and needed the rest badly.</p><p>Dick shuffled into the department, eyes flashing with annoyance. Amanda was waiting by the desk, leaning against it with her arms crossed. "So, who's the guy that called for me at three in the morning?" "Won't tell us his name. Just that he's a friend." "Well, that's always fun." "Yep."</p><p>"Let's just get this over with. Don't know how long it'll be until Wally wakes up." Dick yawned. Amanda led him to the back, where a man sat in a chair. "Dick! How ya been, kiddo?" He spun around. Dick laughed. "Dane? Seriously? It's three in the morning!" "Eh. Had to get here sometime. You never answered my question."</p><p>"Been pretty good. Now get over here and give me a hug." Dick chuckled, holding an arm out. Dane hugged him, chuckling at the other's faces. "Mind telling us who this is?" The chief asked. "Not at all. This is Dane. Saved my neck a time or two when the Pythons had me. Disappeared, even though I've been trying to find you for six months." "Sorry, kiddo. Had to lay low. Lot of Jokers and Masks around. Can't exactly advertise my location." Dane smiled.</p><p>"So, he's a gang member." "Yeah, but our gang ain't into crime anymore. We do charities, donate to people who really need it. Kids are our main focus, but we also help people who have been out on the streets for a long time. We use what we have, not what others have. We ain't criminals no more." Dane said. "That's good, but how about you call me at eight, not three?" "I'll try, kiddo. No promises."</p>
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<a name="section0063"><h2>63. Abuse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick woke up sore, his head pounding. He was on the living room floor, blood dried under his nose. His eye stung, tears dried onto his cheeks. Just another Tuesday, then.</p><p>With a lot of effort, Dick managed to sit up. It wasn't abnormal, waking up in the living room. Randy lost his temper at times, and ended up hurting Dick. He usually ended up apologizing and spoiling Dick the next day. Dick didn't want gifts. He wanted the pain to end.</p><p>Dick limped through the apartment, going to his room and putting his uniform on. Randy was asleep on the bed, a bottle of beer on the nightstand. He must have gotten drunk again. Dick sighed, but proceeded to get ready for work.</p><p>Dick knew it was abusive. He knew this wasn't right, that Randy would one day stop caring what happened to him. But after Wally disappeared, Dick couldn't bear being alone. So he endured the pain. As long as he wasn't alone, he was alright.</p><p>Randy woke up as he started to leave the room. "Babe? Where ya goin?" Dick stopped, turning around. "Work, babe. I've got to go in today." Randy softened his gaze at the sight of Dick's face. "Babe, I'm sorry for last night. I was drunk, and I lost my temper."</p><p>Dick sighed. "Davis, we both know if you were truly sorry, you'd stop drinking. I can't keep doing this. I'll give you one week. If you can go a week without drinking, I'll stay. If not, I'm going home." Randy glowered. "If it's so bad, why haven't you left already?"</p><p>"Because I want to give you another chance. One week, Randy. Or I'm gone for good." Dick said, leaving the apartment. His body was still sore, and his head was still pounding, but he did have work. He always had work when Randy had hurt him. It was simpler that way. Get away from the abuser while he's still in a sour mood.</p><p>Amanda watched as Dick walked in. That was the fourth black eye Dick had in a month, and she was getting concerned. She knew he was Nightwing, but that didn't explain why he wouldn't tell her about it. He normally told her about everything that happened on patrol. He didn't hide his secrets from her.</p><p>Brutus came up to her. "You see it too?" "Yeah. Something's not right. He's not normally so hesitant to tell us about injuries." "You think it's that new guy?" "The one he's dating? Yeah, that's exactly what I'm thinking." "Should we confront him?" "No, not yet. We need evidence. I'll see if I can bug his phone, maybe get a mic. If we can hear this guy threatening or hurting Dick, we can grab him."</p><p>Brutus nodded. "Do we tell the chief?" "You tell him. I'll see if this black eye is from patrol, or if he's hesitant to tell me. Tell the chief everything we suspect. If he's on our side, we corner Dick and make him talk." "He isn't gonna like that." "I know. But he keeps getting hurt. We need to find out why, and stop it."</p><p>They didn't need to corner Dick. Amanda got a call that night, from Bruce Wayne of all people. "Amanda speaking." "Amanda, this is Bruce. Have you been able to reach Dick?" "I haven't tried. I can call him." "Would you? I've got a bad feeling in my gut." "Yeah. A few of us have been a little concerned about that guy he's dating ever since Wally went missing."</p><p>There was a beat of silence. "What do you mean?" "He keeps showing up with bruises. It's not abnormal, but he won't tell us about any of them. He claims they're from patrol, but won't say what happened. We thought there might be abuse." "Try calling him. If he doesn't answer, can you check on him? His address is the same." "Yeah. If he's being abused, I'm taking him to the hospital and calling you back." "Thank you, Amanda. You don't know how much this means to me." "I think I have an idea."</p><p>Amanda hung up on Bruce and called Dick. Her phone rang in the almost empty office, the sound of keys typing the only sound. It rang four times before she received voicemail. Amanda stood up and grabbed her gun, nodding to Brutus and heading to get the chief.</p><p>Once Amanda picked the lock, it was eerily quiet. Dick normally slept with the TV or a sound machine on. He got nightmares when it was silent. Amanda knew something was wrong. There was the sound of someone breathing in the bedroom, but that was it.</p><p>The chief walked into the living room and gasped, kneeling down next to something. Amanda hurried over to see Dick in his arms, beaten black and blue. His nose and mouth were bleeding, and he was trembling. "Get his so-called boyfriend. I'm taking him to the hospital." The chief whispered, scooping the youngest up.</p><p>Amanda and Brutus snuck into the bedroom, anger making Amanda tremble. The boyfriend was just sleeping peacefully, as if he hadn't just beaten Dick to a bloody pulp. There was a bottle of wine on his nightstand, completely drained. Drunk and abusive? Why the hell did Dick stick around?</p><p>Amanda shook the guy awake, noticing his sluggish movements. He was absolutely wasted at this point. "Randy Scirono, you're under arrest for abuse and assaulting an officer. You can come quietly, or we can do this the hard way." Amanda hoped it was the hard way. She wanted to punch this dude in the face, make him feel the pain he made others feel.</p><p>Randy tried to get away. Amanda got to punch him. There was a sense of satisfaction, seeing him stumble from the same pain Dick had endured for months. Years, actually. Yet this man, so blind by alcohol, had never thought of feeling it himself.</p><p>When Amanda and Brutus arrived at the hospital after dropping Randy off in the cells, they were led to Dick's room. Dick was laying on the bed, head bandaged and body still. The heart monitor beeped its steady tempo, informing the room that Dick was stable. Even though he was eerily still, Dick's eyes were cracked, revealing cloudy eyes.</p><p>"Irons sedated him. He's barely awake right now, but he should wake a little more. If not, he'll just go back to sleep." The chief said quietly. Amanda nodded and pulled out her phone. "Who are you calling?" Brutus asked. "Bruce. He asked me if I would check on Dick, and I said I'd called him back once we knew the situation. When he didn't answer, I knew something was wrong."</p><p>Amanda called Bruce, watching the half asleep Dick try to process everything he heard. Bruce was quick to pick up, a sense of worry in his voice. "How is he?" The heart monitor sped up at the sound of Bruce's voice. Dick slowly turned his head towards Amanda, searching for his dad.</p><p>"Randy was abusing him. We've got him at the hospital, but he's pretty loopy. Barely awake, but seems to recognize your voice. Do you want to speak to him?" "I'll speak to him when I get there. The boys, Alfred and I are on the way to Blüdhaven. Can you try to keep him awake?" "I'll do my best. I don't think Irons would take kindly to me giving his patient coffee."</p><p>"No, I suppose not. We're almost-Jason, put down that gun. No, Damian is not target practice. Tim isn't either! Sorry, I'll call you back when we're closer." "No problem. I'll do what I can to keep him awake, but the drugs might win that fight." "Understood. I'll talk to you later." Bruce hung up, and Amanda sighed.</p><p>"...Bruce?" Dick quietly whispered. It sounded painful for him to talk. "He's on his way, Dickie. Stay with me now." Amanda whispered back, grabbing Dick's hand. "Is he...mad?" "No. No, he's not mad at all. He wanted to make sure you're ok. He's coming because he loves you, not because he's mad at you."</p><p>Dick just looked at her. The drug must still be messing with his head. Amanda took a second and examined the damage done to the areas she could see. It looked extremely painful, and she could see why they put him on such strong pain relievers. If Dick felt all that, he would be worse than he was at the moment.</p><p>Dick yawned and pressed his head into the pillow. "Hey, stay with me now, Dickie." "M'tired." "I know, Dick. I know. But you need to stay awake. Bruce will want to talk to you. You know he likes for people to be awake when he does that." "How am I gonna talk to him if I can't stay awake?" Dick said through another yawn.</p><p>"Good point, but still. He could be anywhere at this point. He wants to be able to talk to you as soon as he gets here." "Then tell him to hurry up." "I'm sure if they went any faster, they'd be speeding. They're on their way here, Dickie. Just stay with me, ok?" Dick grunted, but didn't answer.</p><p>Dick nearly fell asleep when Bruce entered. The bed was warmer than the room surrounding it, and it had been quiet before his brothers got in there. When he heard the arguing, Dick realized it was probably going to be a while before he slept.</p><p>Bruce leaned over the bed and grabbed Dick's hand. Dick blinked up at Bruce wearily, trying to think of what he could say. Bruce gently shushed Dick and rubbed the back of his hand with his thumb. "Hush, boys. He doesn't need your arguing at the moment." The three went silent, looking down at their older brother(who didn't notice them).</p><p>Dick's eyes started closing. Bruce let them, whispering something in Dick's ear. Dick fell asleep, holding onto Bruce's promise that he loved him, and that he was safe. Amanda stood up and offered Bruce her chair. Bruce thankfully took it, watching his eldest sleep. How did he let it get this far? Ever since Wally went missing, he should have kept a closer watch on Dick.</p><p>After almost three months, Wally still hadn't been found. He'd disappeared one night, everything he owned still at the apartment. Dick had nearly gone insane, searching until he collapsed. When that happened, Bruce had benched him from the search. Dick had had half a mind to argue, but didn't. Wally was gone, and he wasn't ok. He knew he was out anyway. None of the heroes would have dared let him back on when the Batman said don't let him on.</p><p>Dick slept for five hours. The small portion of the squad™ had to leave, but promised to return. Tim and Damian claimed seats, leaving Jason to stand. That was fine with Jason. He preferred to stand anyway.</p><p>When Dick woke the second time, it was a much less gradual thing. He'd woken with a groan, trying to sit up. Bruce had gently pushed him down, relieved Dick was awake. "Bruce? Why does it feel like I got hit with a train?" He grunted. "Maybe because your boyfriend, who you didn't tell us was abusive, beat the hell out of you." Jason said plainly.</p><p>Dick paled. "O-Oh." Bruce sighed. "Dick, why did you stay? You know the signs of abuse. You knew he was getting drunk. Why didn't you tell us?" Dick looked away. "It doesn't matter anymore. I assume Amanda probably got him, meaning I'm not in danger anymore." "No, but it means you're avoiding my question. Why did you stay?" Bruce asked more firmly this time.</p><p>Dick merely sighed. "I wasn't alone." "So you stayed with an abusive drunk because you didn't want to be alone? Why didn't you call us?" Tim asked. "You were all looking for Wally. If I asked one of you to come stay with me, the search would have slowed. We wouldn't be as far as we are. It was a price I was willing to pay." "You were willing to get beat to a pulp every night just so we would find West?" "You make it sound like that's something I wouldn't do."</p><p>"You could have come to the manor." "I would have left the last place I know Wally was at. The last home I had with him. It would have been admitting he was gone for good." "He's not gone, Dickie." "I know. But if he comes back, and I'm not there, he might think I left him."</p><p>"Now that I think about it, where's Maximus?" Tim asked. "Maximus hated Randy. He always hid whenever he was around, being almost completely silent. He likes being in my closet." "Do you want me to bring him?" Jason asked. "I don't think the hospital will allow it." Dick responded.</p><p>"Then we'll sneak him in." "Jay, he'd give you away in a heartbeat. He was only silent around Randy. His barks are so loud, they can probably hear him in the building over there." "That's almost two blocks away. You'd be deaf if you listened to that being as close as you get." Tim said. "It's a joke, Timmy."</p><p>A knock on the door silenced all of them. "Come in." Bruce called, standing up. Dick couldn't see the door the way Bruce was standing. "There's a boy a few rooms down. He was wondering if he could see the patient." A nurse said quietly. "What's his name?" "We're not sure. He won't tell us." "What does he look like?" Tim asked. "Red hair, green eyes. Lots of freckles. Almost the same size as the patient in here, but a little shorter."</p><p>"Bring him in here." Bruce said. Dick heard footsteps, and assumed the nurse had stepped out. There were more footsteps, and gasps. "The hell? How are you here?" Jason asked. Dick tried sitting up to see, but Tim pushed him back down. "I…don't know. Woke up here." The new voice said timidly.</p><p>Dick gasped. "Wally?" Bruce moved slightly, and Dick nearly cried. There was Wally. "Dick. What happened to you?" Wally cried out, scrambling to grab Dick's hand. "It doesn't matter. What happened to you?" "Me? You look like you've been run over! No jokes, no avoiding it: what happened to you?"</p><p>"We can answer that for you." Jason said. "I just want answers." Wally said. "This guy came into Dick's life. Got abusive. Happened sometime tonight." Jason shrugged nonchalantly. Wally's eyes widened, and his grip on Dick tightened. Dick closed his eyes, shocked when he felt a pair of arms wrap around his shoulders.</p><p>"I'm sorry. Dickie, I'm so sorry. I should've been there." "It's not your fault. It was mine, for not leaving." "No, it's not. It is in no way your fault." The tears welled up, and Dick couldn't hold them back. He sobbed into Wally's shoulder, holding on tightly. Wally hugged him tighter, pressing a gentle kiss to Dick's temple. "I love you, Dickie." "I love you too."</p>
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<a name="section0064"><h2>64. Return of the injury</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick woke up with his knee feeling like it was on fire. Dick tried to sit up, but the slightest movement made the flames bigger. He groaned and held onto his thigh, digging his head into the pillow. "Dickie? You ok?" Wally asked, rolling over and putting a hand on Dick's shoulder. "Knee. Can you grab my brace?" "Of course. You breathe, stay as still as you can." Wally kissed Dick's cheek.</p><p>They had trouble getting the brace on. It was so well fitting that it clung to Dick's knee, causing pain. It took fifteen minutes before they finally got the brace on, and before Dick's hands let go of the bed. Wally had held Dick after that, petting his head and pressing kisses to his face. Dick let Wally hold him, the pain turning from fire to a dull throbbing.</p><p>Wally stood up. "I'm going to get you some pain relievers. Don't go anywhere." "Very funny. Just make jokes while I'm in serious pain." "Just be sarcastic while I'm trying to make you feel better." "Love you, babe." "Love you too."</p><p>Wally got off the bed, heading for their medicine cabinet. Dick sat on the bed, picking at his shirt. Why had his knee hurt all of a sudden? Had he slept on it wrong? Used it too much during patrol? But he'd been fine for almost a year and a half! Why was the once-cracked knee hurting?</p><p>Wally came back with a glass of water and two pills. Dick gladly swallowed the pills, guzzling then down with water. Wally wrapped his arm around Dick, rubbing his side. Dick leaned into Wally, trying to ignore the pain in his leg. "Can you grab my phone? I need to call the department." He whispered.</p><p>"Yeah. Do we need to call Leslie?" "Maybe. I'm not sure." "I don't want this happening again." "Neither do I. Believe me, I can live without feeling that again." "How about we ice that knee for today? I'll take the day off, stay with you, and we'll call Leslie is it hurts tomorrow." Dick nodded. "Sounds good."</p><p>Wally got Dick to lay down, putting a pillow under Dick's knee. Dick winced, trying to keep himself still. Wally knew this, and tried to be as gentle at possible whilst he adjusted Dick for comfort. The pain medication hadn't kicked in fully yet, so movement made Dick's knee hurt.</p><p>Once situated, Wally laid back down next to Dick. Dick snuggled into Wally's arms, closing his eyes again. Dick hadn't slept much recently, and Wally wanted him to sleep at much as possible. Wally kissed Dick's forehead, grabbing his hand.</p><p>When the two woke again, around eight, they called their respective workplaces and took the day off. Amanda was concerned, but Dick promised it would be fine. He's probably just slept on it wrong. That if it wasn't alright by tomorrow, they were calling a doctor. She reluctantly agreed, but only because they were going to call a doctor.</p><p>After that, the two spent the day at home. Wally gently carried Dick if he had to go somewhere. Martan had crawled into the bed with them, getting belt rubs and ear scratches. Dick's knee never did stop hurting, a dull ache always pumping behind the skin. He had a feeling Leslie would be receiving a call from the Grayson-West household.</p><p>Sure enough, Dick woke up to his knee on fire again. Martan stayed with Dick as Wally called Leslie, whining and licking Dick's face. Dick stroked the soft fur, as it kept his mind off his knee. Martan wished he could do more.</p><p>Wally came back into the room. "She's on her way. She advised icing it until she gets here, and to keep the pain relievers in your system." Dick nodded. "Makes sense." "I'm going to grab the ice, then I'm coming back. Don't get up." "I don't think I'll be able to. Hurts too much." "You never admit you're in pain." "Well, I am. And it's bad." "Yeah, you're not getting out of bed for the next day or so." "I figured."</p><p>When Leslie appeared, Dick couldn't have been happier. Martan was on his lap, head tilting at the new person. "Hey, Leslie." "Hello, Richard. Not feeling well?" "Just my knee feeling like it's on fire." Leslie frowned. "You're sure you haven't overused it?" "Yeah. It's been pretty slow recently."</p><p>Leslie sat on the bed, moving the blanket. Martan sniffed at her hand, curious as to who this person was. "It's ok, Martan. This is Leslie, a friend." Dick said softly. Martan gave her hand a few licks before curling up next to Dick again.</p><p>Leslie touched Dick's knee, and Dick hissed. "That sensitive?" "Yeah. It's been that way for a couple of days." Wally said, grabbing Dick's hand. Dick held onto it tightly, thankful he had something he could hold onto.</p><p>"My guess is the wound has been aggravated. I don't know how, but it has. Keep it elevated, ice it, keep the pain relievers going until you're certain you can come to the clinic. Once you can, come to me and I can do a more extensive search." Leslie suggested, replacing the ice and covering Dick's leg again. "Will do. We'll call ahead to inform you when we're coming." Dick said, pulling Martan into his arms.</p><p>Dick was bedridden for the next two days. Wally stayed with him the entire time, keeping him entertained. If Wally wasn't there, Dick might have gone insane. Martan also helped in the entertainment department, giving Dick toys to throw.</p><p>The third day, Dick limped around the apartment. Wally often supported some of Dick's weight, but Dick insisted on walking some by himself. His knee was no longer as tender, but still sensitive. Wally made it clear that he didn't think Dick shouldn't be walking around just yet. That Dick would ended up hurting himself again. As usual, Dick didn't listen.</p><p>The fourth day, the two decided to go to the clinic. Wally called Leslie while Dick called Bruce, explaining that Leslie was going to make sure he was ok. Bruce was understandably pissed about not knowing earlier, but he gave Dick a small pass since they were seeing Leslie.</p><p>Dick limped into the clinic, Wally holding one of his arms. Leslie was less than happy to see Dick walking when Wally could easily pick him up, but Dick shrugged. He had a way of being stubborn when it came to his health. It was like he didn't even care.</p><p>Leslie had Wally help Dick onto the examination table. Dick was a little sore about that, but he understood Leslie was just worried. Dick's knee was still in the brace, but something seemed different. His knee almost looked smaller.</p><p>"Have you had to tighten the brace at all?" Leslie asked. "A little bit, yeah. But we had to make it lose just to get on Dick's knee." Wally responded. Dick bit his lip as Leslie started removing the brace, hands gripping the table. Wally noticed and gently eased one hand off, holding it in his own. Dick's grip was like iron, never easing up.</p><p>Leslie frowned. "The knee was swollen. My guess is you probably slept on it wrong, it swelled up, and got sensitive." "Weird that it was the cracked one, though." Dick said. "It is, but it may be your injury made it more sensitive. That's why you couldn't walk on it before. Your injury and sleeping on it wrong mixed together. I'll do a few X-rays to be sure, and then we'll move on from there. And you're not walking this time."</p><p>Wally carried Dick bridal style, following Leslie. Dick didn't like having his brace off, and he felt like his leg could give out on him at any time. He wasn't even walking, and he was terrified! Wally could feel Dick shaking, and knew something was wrong.</p><p>When Wally and Leslie went behind the glass to get the X-ray, Dick felt terrified. He couldn't go anywhere, his knee wouldn't do it without the brace. This wasn't normal for him; he was usually more relaxed, even with his brace. Wally seemed to sense the panic, running over to Dick as soon as the X-ray was finished.</p><p>"Hey, you ok?" Wally asked, sitting Dick up and grabbing his hand. "Y-Yeah. Just got panicked for a second. Don't know why." "It may be something from patrol. A few nights ago, before this started, you had that close call. You always get rattled after those." "Yeah. Maybe." Wally could tell Dick wasn't entirely convinced.</p><p>"The X-rays don't show anything. Continue what you're doing, and call me again when it stops hurting. Until then, don't push it. If it starts hurting, you sit down and rest it until it doesn't. No patrol until I clear you, mister. Am I clear?" Leslie said sternly. "Crystal. Thanks, Leslie." Dick said. "It's no problem. Wally's going to have to help you for a bit, so don't ignore his attempts to help." "I won't."</p>
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<a name="section0065"><h2>65. School isn't the place to get massacred!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick was on his way to Blüdhaven Junior High, hoping he got there in time. A man had gotten into the building, and had a gun to someone's head. Richard went to Blüdhaven Junior High. Dick could only pray to whoever might be listening that Richard was alright. That all of them were alright. No kid should be killed because they're in school.</p><p>Dick snuck into the school, peeking into each classroom and moving on. As Dick got farther in, he could hear the sounds of crying, and a voice barking orders at them. One look into the gym, and things got a whole lot worse.</p><p>Dick's fears were true. Richard was being held to the shooters chest, the gun again his head. Dick had to crouch down against the wall, seeing red. Not only had this monster dared to attack a school, he dared to attack the kid most special to Dick. He needed to be rational about this. If he wasn't careful, Richard would get hurt.</p><p>Dick cracked the door open wide enough so he could get his gun through. He had the shooter at the perfect angle to shoot without hitting Richard. If he could manage to shoot without the shooter moving, it would end quickly.</p><p>Dick was aiming for the shooter's hand. If he could get the gun away, his job would be easier. Plus, Richard was out of the way. It would be better for him. For all of them. If Dick injured the shooter workout getting the gun away, he risked losing lives.</p><p>As soon as Dick got a good angle, he shot. The shooter dropped the gun, holding his hand. Richard got away, and Dick hurried in. "Are you alright?" Dick asked, cuffing the criminal. Richard nodded, trembling. After getting the shooter to his car, Dick returned to the building.</p><p>Richard was on the bleachers, holding his arms. Dick knelt down and pulled Richard into a hug. "It's alright now. You're safe, Richard. Just breathe." Richard held on tightly to Dick and started crying, curling into Dick's embrace. "Shh, just breathe Richard. It's alright. He won't ever touch you again."</p><p>A few other officers came into the gym. Dick didn't pay attention to them, busy trying to comfort Richard. The others went to the teachers and kids, asking what happened. Dick wasn't going to push Richard to tell him what happened. Richard needed to calm down, not get riled up.</p><p>After about five minutes, Richard started wiping his eyes. "Are you alright?" Dick asked. Richard nodded. "Do you want to go home?" Another nod. "Do you want me to call your parents?" A shake. Dick frowned. "Why not?"</p><p>"They don't love me anymore. They found out I like boys. I've been on the streets for three days." Richard whimpered, hiding in Dick's shoulder again. "How about we go to the station? You can stay with me while I'm there." Richard nodded, wrapping his arms around Dick's neck.</p><p>Dick stood up with Richard on his hip. Amanda walked over, seeing the small similarities between the two of them. "Principle says they can leave." "Richard needs to come with us. His parents threw him out, and he needs to be with someone." Dick informed her, motioning towards the shaking boy with his head.</p><p>"Found a mini me?" "Yeah. Richard, this is Amanda." Richard waved shyly, watching her belt carefully. Amanda had her gun on her belt. "It's alright, Richard. She won't use it on you. She only uses it on criminals." Dick whispered, noticing the direction Richard was looking in.</p><p>Amanda took the shooter in her car, and Richard rode with Dick. Richard had his backpack, which was a little dirtier than Dick remembered it being. "So, did Nightwing visit you?" Richard nodded. "He was a lot like me. But his family supports him."</p><p>Dick glanced down at Richard. "I support you. You showed a lot of bravery coming out to them. I didn't come out to my family until I was sixteen, and that was one of the hardest things I'd ever done. I was scared. Terrified, even. I didn't want to do it."</p><p>Richard looked up. "What happened?" "There were...mixed reactions. My sisters couldn't be happier. My youngest brother, and the second oldest brother weren't quite as happy. It took weeks for them to talk to me. I thought I'd done something wrong. The older one had been mad I hadn't told him before. The younger, I'm still not sure about. I know he puts up with me, but I'm not sure what he thinks, exactly."</p><p>"But they accepted you?" "Yeah, I guess they did. There's always a chance they'll take you back. They may have been shocked. Shock can do something to you that nothing else does." Richard didn't respond. Dick gave his hair a small ruffle before returning to the road.</p><p>At the station, Richard sat in Dick's lap. Dick rested his chin on top of Richard's head as he typed, Richard coloring in a coloring book Dick kept for cases like this. Richard also held onto a teddy bear, similar to ones you'd see in Build-a-Bear.</p><p>After an hour, Richard set the crayons down. "Do you think you can call my parents?" Dick looked down at Richard. "Are you sure?" Richard nodded. Dick grabbed his phone. "What's their number?"</p><p>Richard told him. Dick called the number, putting it on speaker phone. "Momma? Daddy?" Richard whispered. "Richard? Is that you?" A woman answered. "Yes ma'am." "Thank goodness! Where have you been, we've been worried sick!" "I've been at school." "Honey, we are so sorry. Where are you now? Can you come home?" "I'm at the police station. I think I can." Richard looked up at Dick, who nodded.</p><p>"I'm on my way, baby. I'm so sorry for what happened. We weren't thinking." "It's ok, Mama." The woman hung up, and Dick set the phone down. "Richard? Do you want to go back?" "I want to try." "Ok. If anything happens, call 911. I will be there as soon as I can." Richard nodded, hugging Dick. "Thank you. For everything." "It's no problem. I'll always be here. Remember that, ok?" Richard nodded. Dick never did receive a call saying Richard was in trouble. Dick checked up on Richard as Nightwing, happy to see the boy was growing up in a good home.</p>
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<a name="section0066"><h2>66. Young Justice, here we come!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The team was summoned into the mission room. Nightwing was at his day job, so he wasn't there. Wally was, however, and became curious. There usually weren't missions assigned when Dick couldn't be there.</p><p>"This is a special mission. The chief of the Blüdhaven police department has asked for your help. They've had threats some towards one of their officers by Chemo, one of their biggest criminals. Your job is to get to Chemo before he gets to the officer. Half of you will stay with the officer, the other half will track down Chemo. Teams have already been assigned. The chief will explain more. He'll be expecting you in hero identities." Batman explained.</p><p>"What about Nightwing?" Conner asked. "Nightwing is conducting his own investigation, on the South side of Blüdhaven. He will not be joining you on this mission. You may see glimpses of him, but you will not be with him. Dismissed." Batman walked away, his cape swishing behind him.</p><p>"Weird. You'd think that since we're going to Blüdhaven, Nightwing would join. It's his town." Blue Beetle said. "He's working another case. Cases are time limited. He may be able to join us once he's done." Artemis shrugged. Wally looked closer at the files. He, Blue, Kaldur, Conner, and Mal were with the officer. The rest were tracking Chemo down.</p><p>At the department, the team was led to the courtyard. It was empty, besides the chief. "Chief Carson. I am Aqualad." Aqualad held his hand out. The chief shook it, sighing with relief. "I'm the chief. I assume you know about the case?" "Just the basics. Batman said you had more information." The chief nodded.</p><p>"We've got an officer. A few days ago, he and three others snuck into Chemo's warehouse and stole intel. Chemo only saw our hacker, the one you'll be protecting. He vowed to get the info back and kill the officer. We have his last known location, and we offer whatever resources we have to help catch him."</p><p>"If you don't mind me asking, who are we protecting? No one will tell us a name." Conner asked. "We've been quiet with his name because we don't know if Chemo is listening. Saying his name in the open not only puts the officer in danger, but his husband as well. Another of our officers, Amanda, has been with him since the threat. Once you take over, she'll be joining the team tracking down Chemo."</p><p>Kaldur nodded. "When will we be assigned to the officer?" "Currently, he's in my office. Once you are introduced, he's yours to keep safe. There are plenty of officers here who are willing, but Chemo is too much for them. Nightwing is the only one who's tangled with him and come out alive. That's why we called you in. The sooner we can track him down, the sooner you can go home." "We are only concerned with his safety. Beta team, wait here for Amanda to join you. If you find a lead, inform us immediately." Kaldur instructed.</p><p>The smaller team was led to the chief's office, where two officers were drinking coffee. The woman, who Wally knew to be Amanda, was fussing over a long scratch and how Dick hadn't gotten it looked at. Dick was simply listening with an amused grin.</p><p>"This is officer Grayson-West. He's who you'll be protecting. And it looks like he's gotten himself injured…again." "Again?" "He has a tendency to land in the hospital. That's part of why we called you in. If we didn't, he'd sneak out." The chief shook his head. Dick looked over and smiled. "Hey, KF. Thought you were gone on hero business." "I am."</p><p>"I'll leave you to it. Amanda, the team you're working with is this way." The chief led her out. Wally pulled Dick into a hug and kissed his forehead. "So, you're the team keeping Chemo from killing me?" Dick asked, not moving from Wally's arms. "Yes. But I believe Batman said you were working your own case." "The info I got was the case. We got it at a warehouse on the South side. I was trying to get the other officers out when he found me."</p><p>"How long have you been receiving threats?" "A couple days. After one threat attempt, the chief decided I needed protection. That's where the scratch came from. Until the others catch him, I'm afraid you're stuck with me." "You don't seem too bothered." Mal pointed out. "I'm used to it. It's not uncommon for me to get threats. It's also not uncommon for people to attack me. It doesn't faze me much anymore." Dick shrugged.</p><p>Wally grabbed Dick's hand. "Whatever happens, I know I've got an entire clan of heroes waiting to beat any criminal up. And I have people who love me. It doesn't matter what happens. They're there, and I'd do the same for them. Nobody hurts my family and gets away with it."</p><p>"Careful, officer. "Your protective side is showing." Wally said, chuckling. "And what about when I get hurt? You aren't exactly the most forgiving person on the planet." Dick jabbed back, smiling. "Well, Wing, looks like you're stuck with us for a bit." "Please. We're all stuck with this speedster and his appetite." Dick chuckled. "Hey!" "What? Is everything not enough for you anymore?" "You cheeky little devil." "You love me." "I do. But sometimes you need a knock on the had to get some sense into you." "Very funny, Kid Idiot." "Bringing that back into play?" "You know it."</p><p>*"So, when were you going to tell us you're Nightwing, officer Grayson-West?"* Beast Boy asked. *"Let me guess. Someone was listening on the comms." "Yep. I think you have some explaining to do at the cave." "Hey, believe me, I would join you if I could. But I'm supposed to be protected, not doing the protecting. Once the mission is over, you can rag on me all you want." "I'll keep that in mind."*</p>
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<a name="section0067"><h2>67. The gang's back</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wally watched Dick, who was sitting in front of the TV. The gang of gypsies had returned, and had attacked their area. Dick's shoulders were hunched, his head dropped. Wally had heard about what happened while he was gone, and was worried. Would Dick endure that treatment again?</p><p>Wally sat next to Dick. "Dickie? Are you going to be ok?" "Yeah. I've got you with me this time. It just...brings back bad memories." "Can I ask what they were?" "Every time I stepped into a room, glares were thrown my way. Every restaurant and store refused to sell me anything, which is why I was so thin when you returned. I was nearly attacked by people who thought I had done this. Now they're back, and all of that might happen again." "Like you said, I'm here this time. I can help you with anything you need. If anyone even thinks of touching you, I'll be right there."</p><p>Dick smiled, leaning into Wally. Wally wrapped his arm around Dick's shoulders, holding Dick's other hand. Wally knew Dick hated to be pushed away, so he'd be there. If Dick was every in need of anything, Wally would get it. They wouldn't try to stop him.</p><p>The first time it happened, they were in the streets. They'd been walking down the street, holding hands, when someone had cried gypsy. The people had turned towards Dick, who looked down. Wally glared back at the shouter, leading Dick away. Dick's cheeks were flushed with embarrassment.</p><p>Dick had hid in the closet for the first time in a long time. It was a space he needed to go when he needed to calm down. Wally sat in there with him, cradling his body. Dick hated embarrassment, and Wally knew it. The way everyone had stared at him, Dick couldn't handle it.</p><p>The next day, they went to the store to get more food. Wally was a speedster, after all, and had to eat. Dick had offered to eat less, but Wally had quickly shot that idea down. When asked if he wanted to stay home, Dick had shaken his head. He couldn't let something as simple as juvenile bullying get to him.</p><p>Many glares were thrown in Dick's direction. Wally kept an arm around Dick's waist, pulling him along whenever he zoned out. It happened more times than Wally liked. Dick always jumped when Wally moved, worrying him. Dick rarely jumped.</p><p>At the register, they only managed to get the food because Wally was there. The clerk had shot a few looks at Dick, as if blaming him for buying the food. Dick was putting up the cereal when he sighed, leaning on the counter.</p><p>Wally wrapped his arms around Dick's waist, kissing his cheek. "It's alright. It'll be over soon." "I know it's stupid, but I hate it. I hate being bullied, I hate being embarrassed. All this because of what I am. Maybe gypsies are bad luck." Dick mumbled, dropping his head.</p><p>Wally hugged him tighter. "Don't you dare think that. You are not bad luck. If you were bad luck, we wouldn't have been able to buy the food. If you were bad luck, then I would never have met you. You are so important to me, Dickie. I don't want you to think you're not good luck. You're not just my husband; you're my best friend. I love you. I wouldn't care if the whole world was turned against you. I would still choose you over them."</p><p>Dick turned around and wrapped his arms around Wally's neck. Wally held Dick as he quietly sobbed, hiding him from the world. Martan rubbed his head against Dick's leg, whining. He didn't like when his humans cried. It was sad, and it made him sad.</p><p>Wally made up his mind. He needed to take that gang down quickly, and he needed help. Dick was acting way too weird for this to keep going on. After getting Dick into bed, Wally told him he was going on patrol, and kissed his forehead. Martan had cuddled up next to Dick, and Wally had left.</p><p>Now he was waiting on top of the nearest building he could find that was far enough away that Dick wouldn't know. This had to be a secret. If Dick got in on this, he'd demand to go. Wally wanted to help Dick, and this was way too personal.</p><p>Eventually, Wally got the Young Justice and the Grayson protection squad™ together. A short explanation, and they were ready to go. Nobody messed with their bird. Nobody deserved to be able to touch their bird.</p><p>It took a good hour before they found the base. There was a pile of crates and boxes, and money being counted in a corner. A few of the Bats snuck in, taking out a few guards. Wally was watching carefully, taking note of who all was there. If something happened, and Dick was blamed, he could serve as witness. Any of them could.</p><p>"I'm in their system. I can get access to all their members, and send them to the BCPD. That should get Dick out of the line of fire." Red Robin informed them. "That will give us more than enough evidence to clear him. A log of people in the gang with his name nowhere in there? That's good enough for the judge." Amanda smiled.</p><p>"We may have a problem though. Dick's name is in the list of potential members. They've been watching him for the past two weeks. He'd on their priority list. That's going to attract attention. A judge is going to pick up on that, no matter if he knows or not. I can erase his file, but that might leave some evidence." "Leave it. If there are other names, then other people are potential members. No doubt they won't know either." The chief decided.</p><p>"Take them down, don't let them escape. If they escape, they can start this over again. How many members are currently in the system?" Batman ordered."About a hundred and twenty." "I'm counting one hundred nineteen. Either you were rounding, or one's not here." M'gann said. "Which list did you say Dick was on?" Wally asked. "Priority." "They might have sent someone to watch him. I can zip over, check it out, then be back." Wally decided, standing up.</p><p>When Wally got to the apartment, he decided to quickly check on Dick. Hey, he was a worried husband. Peeking into the room, he saw Dick sleeping peacefully. He also saw the gang member standing next to their bed, a syringe in his hand. They must have decided to take Dick. Like hell was Wally letting that happened.</p><p>Wally covered the gang member's mouth and grabbed the syringe, injecting it into the member's neck, all in less than ten seconds. The criminal slowly went still, his attacks losing strength. When he was unconscious, Wally lowered him to the floor and looked over at Dick.</p><p>Dick was still asleep, completely unaware of what had happened. Martan had his head cocked, but didn't get up. He knew his human's scent. Wally scratched behind Martan's ear and kissed Dick's forehead before grabbing the criminal. After dropping him off at the station, Wally returned to the base.</p><p>"You were gone for a bit." "This guy was in Dick's apartment. They weren't going to wait for him to join, they were about to kidnap him and force him to join. I took the guy down, checked the place to make sure there weren't any bugs, then took him to the station. Everyone else should be here."</p><p>"So, who was going to tell me you were busting the gang?" Nightwing asked as he landed behind Wally. "Hey, Wing. Uh, it was supposed to be secret." Red Robin said nervously. "Uh huh. So if it's secret, why is the entire team and the squad™ here?" Dick smirked. "Well, I never said who we were keeping it secret from." Wally told him.</p><p>"Next time you're busting a gang this big in Blüdhaven, you're calling me in. My city, my rules." "Dang. He's claiming ownership, Wally. I would be scared." Conner snickered. "I am. Believe me, I am." Wally paled as Dick wrapped his arms around his neck. "Don't worry. I'm not mad at you." He whispered, kissing Wally's cheek. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get these guys." Bart exclaimed. Dick simply shook his head, a smile on his face. Speedsters. "Alright. Let's go."</p>
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<a name="section0068"><h2>68. On the edge</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick sat on the edge, watching as cars flashed past underneath him. He didn't understand how they could get out of bed every day and go about their lives. Well, they didn't have someone in the hospital because of them.</p><p>It was all Dick's fault. He and Amanda had been chasing a gang when a dart had been shot into his neck. Dick had collapsed, writhing on the ground. He felt a gun to his head, and heard voices talking. He couldn't comprehend what they were saying; the pain was too great. After a few minutes, the gun was removed, and he managed to crack his eyes open.</p><p>Only to see Amanda get shot.</p><p>The gang had run off, leaving the two incapacitated cops. They'd been lucky Brutus had been coming behind them and called the ambulance. Dick had passed out at some point during the ride, worried for Amanda. Her stomach had been drenched in blood, and a small pool had formed under her body the last time he saw her.</p><p>Dick had woken up at the hospital, groggy and sore. Wally and the Batclan were by his side, eagerly waiting for him to say something, anything. Dick remained silent. He didn't feel like talking. He didn't know why; he just didn't.</p><p>Dick found out that Amanda was in critical condition. It was then Dick knew it was his fault. It had to be. Amanda had been shot protecting him. Maybe he should've taken that shot. He couldn't move at the time, but he should have been able to do something.</p><p>He hadn't spoken since he woke up. Wally had tried to get him to talk, even just a whisper, but nothing. Dick laid in the bed, staring out the window. Wally realized after the first day that the bedroom had a perfect view of the hospital, and that Dick was watching Amanda's room.</p><p>The first night, it had been peaceful. Dick was so tired he slept the whole night, and slept until ten AM. It was unusual for Dick to sleep that long, even injured. Wally watched with concern from the doorway, nervous to get closer. He'd never seen Dick like this. Dick always had a certain spark in his eyes. It wasn't there.</p><p>The second night brought the night terrors with it. Dick had woken up after two hours of sleep, Amanda's name on his tongue. His hands had been shaking, and tears had been in his eyes. Wally cradled Dick's body to his chest, holding the sobbing boy close. He was getting very worried. This could end up bad if it continued.</p><p>Dick didn't get out of bed again, staying under the covers all day. Wally stayed at the apartment that day, comforting Dick. The first time Wally had tried to get Dick to eat, Dick had shook his head no. He still wasn't talking, and apparently wasn't hungry. His under eyes were getting darker again, and his eyes were red from crying himself to sleep. The most Wally managed to do was get Dick to drink a glass of water.</p><p>The third day seemed worse than the second. Dick had two night terrors the night before, and his eyes were slightly foggy. At random points in the day he'd start crying, small and quiet. Wally could usually get Dick to stop, but when he couldn't he'd cuddle with the younger until he fell asleep again. Dick didn't eat for the third day, only drinking a few sips. Wally was past worried, and was now terrified for his husband.</p><p>The fourth day, Dick disappeared. Wally woke up to an empty bed, and a hand written note with Dick's ring on it. Wally had quickly grabbed the ring and the letter, edging on panicked. Dick was going to kill himself.</p><p>Wally made the split millisecond decision to call the Batclan. He talked while he ran around, looking for Dick. He checked down every alley, on every rooftop, and in every sewer. He only became more panicked the longer he couldn't find Dick. Dick could be dead by now!</p><p>Wally finally found Dick on top of a Wayne Enterprises building. Ironic. He was sitting on the edge, tears streaming down his face as he watched, hunched over. Which brings us back to the present.</p><p>Wally sat next to Dick, grabbing his hand. "Dickie? Are you alright? You're not hurt?" "Amanda is." "I know, I know angel. But I'm asking about you. Are you hurt?" "It was my fault." "No it wasn't. You didn't tell the gang member to shoot Amanda; they did that on their own." "She got hurt protecting me. I should've been the one to take the shot."</p><p>Wally pulled Dick into a kiss, cupping his face. Dick seemed to have been startled, jumping slightly. "Never say that. Pretty much everyone knows the danger of a gun. Amanda knew that if she protected you, there was a chance she would get hurt. This isn't your fault, and it will never be your fault. Let's get off this roof, and go get cleaned up. We'll grab lunch, then we'll go visit Amanda. But please don't jump. I need you to live. Without you, I'm not living, I'm just alive. Come with me. Please?" Dick nodded, tears in his eyes again.</p><p>Wally stood the both of them up and pulled Dick back, pulling him into another hug. Dick snuggled into Wally, crying freely. His body ached and screamed at the lack of treatment, but he couldn't care less. Even with Wally's words, Dick felt that little voice whisper that Wally was lying, and that it was still his fault.</p><p>At the hospital, Dick agreed to get tests done. Blood was taken, as well as samples from his skin and muscles. Why they took the last one, he didn't know. What he was more concerned with was Amanda, who was now out of critical condition, and was merely resting.</p><p>Dick spent the night at the hospital, holding Amanda's hand as he slept. He had no problem sleeping that night. Wally was with the team doing the tests, watching and waiting for anything that might prove this wasn't his angel.</p><p>The answer came at three AM. It came from the muscle tissue, where the dart had injected a very familiar substance into Dick's body. Refined Clarosia, something Dick had never dealt with in full effect. Dick had experienced the pain that came before the depression, but by the time the flower set in, he was still unconscious. He couldn't recognize the symptoms because he couldn't recognize anything.</p><p>Wally sat next to Dick, smiling as he got his first bit of good sleep. The nurse quickly gave a dose of the cure, to which Dick furrowed his eyebrows. Luckily he was so exhausted he stayed asleep. Wally had never been more thankful for a tired Dick Grayson-West in his life.</p><p>When Dick had woken up again, Wally had been relieved. Dick had been confused at first, the past three days a blur. He didn't remember nearly jumping off a building, nor did he remember the night terrors. After filling in a few blanks, he was caught up on everything. Dick wasn't as bad, willing to talk now. He spoke quietly, but spoke.</p><p>After a week in the hospital, Amanda woke up. Dick had been so relieved, refusing to let go of Amanda's hand. He didn't trust his mind just yet. Wally was happy Amanda was awake, and happy that Dick was happy. Dick deserved to be happy.</p>
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<a name="section0069"><h2>69. You're what?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was supposed to have been a calm night. Dick Grayson and some of the people from work were supposed to have been going out for dinner together, then retiring to their respective homes. Of course, Dick just happened to have the luck of a person who smashed thousands of mirrors.</p><p>They'd been kidnapped, and had woken up in a large room with no windows. They were all tied to chairs, any weapons or keys removed. The floor was covered in water, and there were small puddles near the feet of the chairs. Dick could smell a faint metallic tang, and could hear something being scraped together.</p><p>"You alright, Rookie?" Amanda asked, pulling on her restraints. "Fine. Where are we?" "Don't know. Got knocked out and nabbed. Woke up here with everyone else unconscious. No one's come in and tried to demand something, or kill us, so I guess that's a plus." "How long do you think ever been here?" "I'd say a few hours, based on the headache I have." "Good assumption."</p><p>A door slammed open, making Dick wince. Loud sounds were not his friend at the moment. The others were looking around, trying to find where this person was. Dick figured out pretty quickly when he felt the cool metal of a knife pressed against his neck. "Make a sound, and I'll slit your throat. Nod if you understand." Dick nodded, gulping slightly.</p><p>"Get away from him." Amanda growled. "I wouldn't be making any threats, missy. After all, it takes one flick of my wrist, and he's dead. Now, you get one chance, all of you. You get thirty minutes to admit it. There's one person in here who's attractions are...not normal. Thirty minutes, or you're all dead." They slipped out again, Dick trembling as he realized what the kidnapper meant.</p><p>"Who's attractions are different than others? What the hell does that mean?" Selina scoffed. "It means they're not straight." Dick muttered, paling slightly. "You alright, Rookie? You're looking a little pale." "I'm fine." "You sure? You look like you're going to be sick." "I'm sure. I'm fine."</p><p>Dick was clearly not fine. Amanda understood why, but that didn't make it better. She knew Dick was gay, and that had never stopped her from working with him. He was a good cop, and a good kid. She had never seen him that scared before.</p><p>"We need to figure out how to escape." The chief decided, pulling on his cuffs. "Even if we got out, he'd come back for us. He won't stop until he knows who's not straight." "If he knows, he might kill them." "And give everyone else a chance to get out alive." "No one gets left behind."</p><p>"Well, this is a very lovely discussion, but you do need to declare it! I'm unlocking your cuffs, but you must stay in the room." The voice came over an intercom, crackling through old speakers. The restraints opened, and the squad™ quickly stood up. Black dots edged Dick's vision, but it passed quickly. He probably had gotten hit in the head.</p><p>The squad™ huddled close, talking in whispers. "He's going to come back eventually. We need a plan." "That guy walked around and we didn't even know! How are we supposed to attack someone we can't see?" "Maybe we don't have to attack. We just need to disarm him." "How do you suggest we do that?" "This guy wants to find whoever it straight. Tell him who is, he'll come for them, then the rest can overpower him."</p><p>"Fifteen minutes, ladies and gentlemen. Someone better start confessing." Dick sighed. "Well, it's now or never." "What are you doing?" Amanda hissed. "Putting the plan into motion." "Are you crazy?" "No. Just gay."</p><p>Dick looked up at the speakers. "I'm the gay you're looking for!" "Excellent. I'll be down in just a minute." "What are you doing? He'll kill you!" "We don't know that. Besides, he can't take seven cops alone, even with weapons." "You're sure about this?" "As sure as I was on my first day." "So, not certain at all." "Pretty much."</p><p>The door slammed open, bright lights illuminating the room. Dick stood up, watching as three men entered the room. The others moved slowly, until they were surrounding the three. They paid no attention to the other cops, heading towards Dick. One had cuffs, and another had a pistol.</p><p>"You know how long I've been searching for ya?" "I would hope not as long time. Looks like these don't stay hidden long." "Very funny. You're coming with us." "See, I don't think that's going to happen. I happen to have very protective friends. They don't like people getting hurt, but they're not unwilling to throw punches to protect others."</p><p>The man laughed. "And what are they going to do when you're already dead? They don't know where you are." "Funny you should say that. They're in the room with us right now." The other officers attacked the two accomplices, knocking them out quickly. The head swiveled his head around, seeing the circle of cops become tighter.</p><p>He quickly surrendered. "Well, that was easy." "Yep. Now we just have to get out of here." "I think our friendly kidnapper here would love to show us." "You are insane." "No, I've already told you. I'm just gay."</p>
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<a name="section0070"><h2>70. Brother's hatred</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Damian always hated Gypsies. They were lowly, and bad things happened around them. If it was up to him, they would never have existed. Anyone who was a gypsy never would have walked the earth.</p><p>Sometimes he noticed Grayson look away when he ranted, a pained look on his face. Damian always pushed it away, seeing as Grayson cared too much for people. Besides, Grayson couldn't be a Gypsy. He was too good of a person, even if Damian had to hiss it through his teeth.</p><p>Sometimes Grayson made an excuse and left, hiding somewhere in the Manor and not coming out until either the next meal or the next mission. Damian always thought Grayson had just had a bad day, and needed to hide away. According to West, he did that sometimes.</p><p>After ranting to his father, Damian found himself in his room, any weapons gone. Something about, "you don't talk about family like that." What person in his family was a Gypsy? They were all above that. "Stupid Father. Stupid Gypsies. Why do they even exist at all?" Damian growled, hands digging into the bed sheets.</p><p>What he didn't know was that Dick was at the door, listening to everything he said. He'd meant to go in and talk to Damian, but after hearing him, lost his will. It wasn't something he did often, but he had heard so much about how Gypsies were evil vermin that deserved to die. As much as he loved his brother, he couldn't keep listening to that. It was like being bullied all over again.</p><p>Dick walked to his room, softly closing and locking the door. Wally was on his bed, which he knew about, and looked up with concern. Dick never locked his door at the Manor. "Dickie? You alright, babe?" Wally asked, standing up. "Damian was talking again." "About?" "What's the one group of humans he hates above all others?"</p><p>Wally walked over to Dick and gently pulled him into a hug. "It's alright. I won't let anything happen to you." "I'm scared, though. What if he does go on a rampage against us? Or what if he finds out I'm one? Wally, I can't risk losing him. He's too unstable, and he hasn't been here long enough to know how to lay low if he runs away. He might get himself killed."</p><p>Wally gently shushed him, cupping his face. "Nothing will happen to him. There's the rest of the Bats, they can take care of him. I'm worried about you. You know what happens when you try to push yourself too far mentally. You get tired, and when you're tired, you happen to have slightly lose lips." "You mean I get snarky and blindside people." "Pretty much. So, to keep your brothers from being so shocked they won't move until Tuesday, come lay down. You don't have to go to sleep yet, but just lay down. Relax a little."</p><p>Dick sighed, but smiled. "What would I do without you?" "Go absolutely crazy. Now c'mon. No more thinking of Damian tonight. Just you and me. Bruce'll get through to him eventually." "Remind me to tell Bruce to smack Damian on the back of his head." "I will. Believe me, I want to see that."</p><p>When Damian fell asleep, he expected his normal sleep. He never had nightmares; he was too mature for that. Maybe Grayson did, but Grayson was practically the child of the family. He may have to deal with these annoying things, but Damian did not.</p><p>However, a man was waiting for him. "Who are you?" Damian hissed. "I am here to show you what you desire." "What I desire?" "You desire a world with no Gypsies, correct?" "Yes. Show me what it's like." "I warn you: what you will see may haunt you. If you wish to not see it, turn back now. It is your only chance." "I do not fear knowledge." "Then you are blind and ignorant. Most knowledge is good. Knowledge gained because of ill intent is never good."</p><p>The world spun around Damian, until it stilled. "This is the world you desire." The man said, looking forward with his arms crossed behind his back. Damian looked at the world and gasped.</p><p>There was nothing. Smoking rubble laid across the ground, Ash falling from the sky. There were no plants, nor any animals. There was simply nothing.</p><p>"What have you done?" Damian growled. "I have done nothing. This is all in your dream, but this is what would happen. You wished for no Gypsies, yet you fail to realize how vital they are. You wish to get rid of your own brother."</p><p>"What?" "You did not realize? Even with all the signs, even your own father telling you to stop talking about family? It seems that is the knowledge you fear the most." "That is not possible." "But it is. You have never acknowledged it."</p><p>"Who?" "That is for you to figure out. But you best hurry before the bird flies away again. He can only stand so much." "That's not helping." "You will figure it out. After all, you fear no knowledge. Unless you lied." "I don't lie." "No. No, not unless it is to the downfall of others."</p><p>Damian woke with a gasp, bolting to a sitting position. His clock read three in the morning, and he groaned. His sleep schedule was going to be messed up for a few days. Stupid dream.</p><p>He laid down again, rolling onto his side. Could one of his brothers really be a Gypsy? It wasn't likely. Jason always slapped him somewhere, and Tim always ignored him, so it wasn't likely it was them. That left...Grayson.</p><p>Now it made sense. The way he seemed to avoid talking about it, sometimes even hiding for hours at a time. But why had he never told him? If Damian knew...</p><p>If he knew, he would've lashed out, and he knew it. He was a horrible brother. Then again, he hadn't hurt Grayson, so there was that. He wasn't as horrible as he thought. Or maybe he was just trying to convince himself of that.</p><p>Damian tossed and turned the rest of the morning, thinking everything over. How long had Grayson been listening to him rant, knowing he was one of the people Damian wished to die? How long had he sat in silence, knowing his brother wanted him dead? How long had Dick let Damian bully him?</p><p>As soon as his clock read six, Damian leapt up and out of his room. He had to find Grayson, before something happened. He saw Grayson's car through the window, so they hadn't left, which was good. So why did he feel like there was a pit in his stomach?</p><p>Damian turned the corner to see Jason and Tim standing outside Dick's door. "What happened? Where is Grayson?" Damian demanded. "What's it to you, Demon Spawn? You clearly don't care for him." Jason snapped at him. Tim was standing beside Jason, and refused to look at Damian.</p><p>"I asked a question." "If you must know, Dick got hurt last night because he's been exhausting himself putting up with you. Alfred isn't sure he'll live for more than two weeks. No one but Wally, Bruce, and Alfred are allowed in his room. So, thanks a lot for exhausting him. If he dies, I'll put it on his tombstone: death by brother." Jason growled, glaring at Damian.</p><p>What Damian didn't know was that Dick had gone on patrol with Bruce and Wally, and they'd found a warehouse full of villains. The three heroes had gone in, taking down villain after villain. Dick had fought as long as he could, nearly reaching the end of the fight, when he was shot in the chest. He'd been so exhausted be didn't see Deathstroke in the rafters. The bullet had punctured his lung and just barely missed his heart. He'd lost a lot of blood, and was in a coma.</p><p>Damian sat on the roof, right above Grayson's room. At night he peeked in, looking at his brother. Grayson was drowning in wires and tubes, several monitors beside his bed. West was always at his side, holding his hand. Bandages crawled up Dick's neck, stopping halfway. He breathed from a tube, and had a blood drip with his IV.</p><p>This was all his fault. Had he stopped when he knew something was wrong, this might have been avoided. Grayson might be walking around, laughing at he avoided death again. Because of Damian, death finally had a chance at the eldest Robin.</p><p>There was no change for a week. Dick's vitals held stable, and his body continued healing. No one risked worsening his condition by moving him, or removing a monitor. He was getting skinnier, despite every attempt to keep his weight up.</p><p>Tim was taking it hard. Jason had to back him out of panic attacks, holding him until he calmed again. He wouldn't go down for coffee, too scared to leave Dick. Jason would get Tim his coffee, bringing it and something for Tim to eat. Jason found it his responsibility to take care of his anxiety wracked brother, but he didn't care. He would do it if Dick wasn't there, and he didn't mind being with Tim. Damian was another story altogether.</p><p>The second week showed a little improvement. Dick's heartbeat got stronger, and he was breathing easier. He didn't look as pale, and just looked better in general. Wally couldn't describe it, but he could sense Dick getting better. Maybe, just maybe, Dick could pull through.</p><p>Tim was getting worse by the day. If he'd been in control of the coffee flow, it would never stop. He was usually curled up in Jason's lap, constantly on the verge of crying. When he wasn't awake and panicky, he was dead asleep. He was eating less, and Jason often had to get Bruce to help bring Tim out of a panic attack.</p><p>Dick made it two weeks. Bruce decided to allow Jason and Tim in, with the hope it would lower his anxiety. Tim was led to a chair by Jason, his eyes locked on Dick. Bruce wrapped the blanket back around Tim's shoulders when he sat down, keeping a hand there. Tim seemed frozen, unable to look away.</p><p>Three weeks passed. Dick kept getting stronger, soon losing a few monitors. Tim slept by Dick, holding his hand as his head rested on the bed. Wally slept the same way, unable to make himself let go of Dick's hand. Tim couldn't make himself leave Dick's room, but he was doing better. He wasn't having as many anxiety attacks.</p><p>After almost a month, Dick finally woke up. The squad™ had come to visit that day, finally getting a break from the constant crime in the city. Dick was breathing on his own now, his lung healing nicely. Tim had been curled into Dick's side, something Bruce allowed once Dick was better. Damian was outside Dick's room, unable to face his brothers. Jason hated him for sure.</p><p>Tim had noticed when an arm wrapped around his waist. The arm that he had accidentally been laying on. The eyes he missed had cracked open, and a smile had appeared on the paler face. "Hey, Timbo."</p><p>Tim dug his head into Dick's shoulder, wrapping his arms around Dick's stomach and sobbing. "Hey, it's okay. I'm alright." "You were hurt. You were in a coma, I thought you'd never wake up." Tim cried against Dick's skin. "I'm awake, Timbo. I'm not hurt as badly. Just breathe. You'll put yourself through a panic attack." A hand was cupping his face, wiping away his tears. Tim leaned into the hand, holding on tightly to Dick.</p><p>Tim moved and sat by the pillows when Alfred came back in, holding Dick's hand tightly. Wally was laying next to Dick on the other side, his arm under Dick's shoulders. Dick was smiling, talking quietly to his family and friends. He looked like he'd simply been napping, not stuck in a coma for a month.</p><p>After Alfred did tests and rewrapped the bandages, Dick was left to talk or rest. "So, what cause Big Bird to get shot?" Amanda asked. "I was more tired than I realized, and didn't notice Deathstroke until I got shot." "Someone forget to get their coffee?" "No, I remembered." "Well, you really were tired." "Yeah. Has anyone seen Damian?" "I think he was on the roof last."</p><p>Dick tried to push himself up, but was held down by Wally and Tim. "Oh, no mister. You are not getting out of bed yet. We'll get him, but you have to stay in bed." Wally instructed firmly. "Fine, but don't kill him. I will know if you do." "Sure thing. Now stay in the bed, and stay awake." Wally stood up, walking out the door.</p><p>Tim snuggled back into Dick's side, feeling Dick wrap his arm around his waist again. "You're thin." "You're one to be talking." "Seriously though. Have you been eating?" "I've eaten more this week. I didn't have the biggest appetite while you were…" Tim trailed off. "Hey, it's okay. I know you were worried. Just keep eating, m'kay?" "Alright." "Good."</p><p>Wally found Damian on the roof as always, Alfred the cat beside him. "Dick's awake. He asked for you." Wally said, sitting on the other side of Damian. "Why? I was the one who got him injured." Damian whispered, petting Alfred. "You didn't fire the gun." "I was the one who exhausted him. I didn't know he was a Gypsy, and I didn't recognize the signs. I'm the reason he was in a coma for a month."</p><p>"You didn't know. You didn't intentionally cause this. Dick doesn't care about any of that. He just wants to see his baby brother. Trust me, if he cared about that, he wouldn't have asked for you by name, but he did. He wants you, Damian. He's willing to put the past in the past. Are you?"</p><p>Damian looked away, holding back tears. He didn't understand how Grayson could just forgive him. "Come on. I'll carry the cat." "Keep your hands off him. He's mine." "Alright. Just come on." "Fine."</p><p>Damian slowed as he neared Grayson's room, nerves creeping up on him. What if Grayson was mad at him? "Remember: he wants you. Come on." Wally urged Damian forward, seeing his hesitance. "I've made a mistake. How do I know he's just going to forgive me?" "He already has. Besides, we've all made mistakes. He's always forgiven us. He'll forgive you."</p><p>Damian opened the door, waiting for shouts of anger to begin. It was quiet, besides Dick talking to Tim. Wally walked in, closing the door behind them. "I told you he was on the roof." He smirked as he sat next to Dick.</p><p>One look at Damian, and Dick had the ten year old snuggling into his other side. "Hey, Dami. Miss me?" "Shut up." Damian mumbled, holding onto Dick tightly. "Love you too, Dami." "Well, that's two out of three." Amanda smiled.</p><p>Bruce looked over at Jason, who was paying attention to his older brother. Jason yelped as he was thrown over a shoulder, being carried towards the bed. "Bruce!" "That's my name." "Dear God, he made a joke. Dickie, save me!" "I can't. Remember, I'm bedridden." Dick chuckled.</p><p>Jason was laid next to Tim, which made the younger brother happy. Wally smiled, seeing Dick move his arm to hold Jason too. Dick really did love his brothers, even if they had a tendency to drive him insane. Wally would never understand it.</p>
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<a name="section0071"><h2>71. I swear you're not real!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The squad™, minus one Dick Grayson, was currently trapped. Some stupid crook had taken them, and was demanding a ransom. He'd stupidly left a location on his demand, and they were simply waiting for Dick to come and rescue them.</p><p>Amanda yawned in her seat, looking at the clock that was so conveniently provided. "He's got ten minutes." "Or what?" "Or he's going to have to give me five dollars for overtime." "Are you timing him now?" "He asked me too. The overtime price was my idea." "So, Miss Amanda has been getting some money from Grayson." "Well, not yet. He's always at least a minute early."</p><p>"What are you talking about?" The crook asked. "Oh, nothing. Just boredom talk." "You were talking about someone. Who were you talking about?" He growled. "My brother." "And your brother will be saving you." "Perhaps."</p><p>A cackle rang out, sending shivers down the spines of everyone. "What was that?" "What was what? I didn't hear anything." Amanda said, faking confusion. "What do you mean you didn't hear it?" "Hear what? You're making no sense."</p><p>Another cackle rang out. It bounced off of walls, making its way into their hearts with fear. "Are you sure you want to do that?" A childish singsong voice called, another cackle following. "Who are you?" "Don't you know? We're the police force you captured. Duh." Amanda rolled her eyes. "How do you not hear that?" "There's nothing to hear."</p><p>"I'd step away. Bad things happen to bad people. Didn't your parents ever teach you any manners?" The childish voice giggled. The crook pulled out a knife, earning another cackle. "Knives can't kill ghosts, silly. Haven't you ever heard that?"</p><p>A figure dropped from the ceiling, landing in front of the crook. Amanda was never more appreciative of Dick's acting skills. Dick limped towards the crook, holding his side. "You did this to me. Remember? I was just walking, trying to go home, and you killed me. Why? What did I do?" Dick's childish voice called, his body shaking.</p><p>"I-I didn't know." "Didn't know what? Because of you, I'm dead. Do you know what death is like?" "N-No." "Death is cold. It's painful. It's an endless black for people like me. People who don't have that eternal peace. People who were murdered by people like you. There is no place for us to go. We wander the Earth, doomed to stay here until we find our killer. I've found mine."</p><p>The crook collapsed against the wall, curled up. Dick hurried over to the police force, who had their jaws dropped. "What was that?" "I checked his record before I came. He killed a teenager, and was jailed, but escaped. I used that to take him down without throwing fists." "Nice. Mind getting us out of here?"</p><p>Dick cut the restraints, keeping an eye on the crook. He was still curled up on the ground, sobbing into his knees. "Can you free the rest of them?" He asked Amanda. "Yeah." "Good. I'm going to see if I can calm him a little."</p><p>Dick knelt down by the crook, who looked up at him. "Please…I didn't know." "It's alright. I won't hurt you." Dick hugged the crook, secretly kicking the knife away. The crook dug into Dick's embrace, sobbing about how sorry he was.</p><p>The crook fell asleep on Dick's chest, making him smile. "Well, anything you want to tell us?" "Yeah. Amanda, that's the fifth time this month I've been on time. You owe me ten bucks." "Dammit."</p>
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<a name="section0072"><h2>72. Rookie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Amanda, I need to speak with you." The chief told Amanda, ushering everyone else out the door. She sat down at one of the seats, grabbing about donut. "What's up?"</p><p>"The training academy has a rookie for us. He's top of his class, and shows real potential. He's being sent here, and assigned to you." "Me? What makes them think I'm a good teacher?" "You're the best cop here, Amanda. They're hoping he can learn from you." "You're sure?" "Positive."</p><p>The rookie showed up the next day. He didn't look like much, admittedly, but Amanda knew he wasn't top of his class for nothing. The trainer there was harsh, and didn't let small things bother him. Unless he was surrounded by absolute morons, the rookie was good.</p><p>"Officer Caines?" "That's me. You are?" "Grayson, ma'am. Dick Grayson." "Billionaire's kid?" "Yeah. I get that a lot." "Well, it's easy when you've got one is the best known men in the world as a father." "Tell me about it."</p><p>"First assignment: getting you into the system. It'll probably take an hour or two." "Take whatever time you need." "I wish it was faster, but apparently that's the fastest it goes. They really need to update the system." "I could try to update it, if you want. I'm pretty good with tech." "I saw your report from the academy. You realize you had one of the toughest trainers out there, and you had almost perfect scores?" "No."</p><p>That was strange. Usually trainees knew their scores. Then again, the trainer might not have showed Grayson his scores to scare him. He always had a disliking of students who did better than him. Or maybe Grayson hadn't known the trainer was tough? Who knew.</p><p>Dick sat in a chair as Amanda filled out his form, answering any questions she asked. As far as respectful went, he took the cake. He didn't fidget much, which helped her think. If he did have questions, he waited until she was done talking to ask them. He seemed a little bashful at times, rubbing at his arms. She couldn't blame him. She remembered how nerve wracking her first day was.</p><p>"Alright, you're in. Right now, you've only got rookie access, but the longer you're here the more access you'll get. Make sense?" "Yes, ma'am." "You don't have to call me ma'am." "We were told to address all senior officers as sir or ma'am." "Well, your senior officer is telling you to ignore that rule. You don't have to call us officer, either. You're a cop as well. We're family here, not just work accomplices. You're in our family now."</p><p>Dick stuck by Amanda the first day, clearly nervous now that she thought about it. The longer the day went, the more she saw his fingers tapping his arm, or she heard his foot bouncing. He got quieter, only taking when asked a question. Amanda found herself worrying more about this rookie than anyone else, and realized she'd become protective. This rookie, who hadn't even been there a full day, had already turned on all her mental alert systems.</p><p>It didn't take long for the squad™ to form. Dick was always respectful and attentive, even when he was on the sidelines. As time went on, he lost some of his nervous energy and became the bubbly, smiling face they all knew. Amanda wished he'd chosen a job that didn't have as many dangers in it, but she was happy he was there.</p><p>Of course, danger always came for them. Dick and Amanda had been getting civilians out of a shooting when they'd been captured. Amanda had been slammed into a wall, whilst Dick had been drugged. The last thing Amanda remembered was Grayson being cornered before she had blacked out.</p><p>When they woke again, they were chained to separate walls, the chains too short to reach anything besides more wall. Dick had been sitting against the wall with his head in his hands, trying to get rid of the headache, when Amanda knew she was absolutely a big sister to him. She knew the feeling, only he was a lot less annoying than her brothers.</p><p>The door slowly opened, a few men slinking through. Two walked over to Dick, one pulling out a pair of cuffs. "Hey! Leave him alone!" Amanda growled. The first of Dick's shackles were unlocked, and the cuff was unsafely tightened around his wrist. He held in a whimper as the other was tightened, digging into his skin.</p><p>Amanda watched helplessly as Dick was dragged away, the door shut behind him. Those cuffs would cut off his blood stream if they weren't loosened, not to mention the nerve damage that could be inflicted. There was no telling what they wanted with him.</p><p>Dick was shoved into a seat, the cuffs pressing deeper into his wrists. There was a large assortment of torture weapons around the room, many of which Dick had felt before. He was not excited, especially when he saw the bag of salt in the corner. "Now, let's have some fun, shall we?"</p><p>Amanda had been pulling on the chains when the door opened again. She was prepared to fight, until she saw the chief step through. "Chief!" "Amanda! Are you alright?" "I'm fine. It's Grayson I'm worried about. They took him somewhere else, and the cuffs they used were way too tight. At this point, it might be nerve damage."</p><p>"Brutus, take James and find Grayson. You need to hurry, he could be hurt at this point." The chief said into his comm as he knelt down, pulling out picks. "I'm going with them." "You don't have a gun. If you went in there, you'd be defenseless." "I'm probably in better condition than Grayson." "I get you're worried. I am too. But they can handle themselves, and they'll get him out safely." "What if he's already hurt?" "Then we get him to the hospital. And give him a promotion. I don't know any rookie that's been through this."</p><p>The shackles fell off, and Amanda turned towards the door. "Amanda, you're going to the car." "Chief!" "That's an order. I'm going to join Brutus and James. There's an extra gun in the car, I need you to be ready to go the second he gets in. If Grayson's hurt, he'll need to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. You'll be the one ready to get him there while the rest of us round these guys up. I would rather you be here, but he clearly trusts you. He's more likely to be calm with you at the hospital."</p><p>Amanda growled, but complied. She should be in there, saving her baby brother. But an order was an order, as much as she hated it. Besides, the chief was right, and she knew it. If Grayson was hurt, he would need a doctor as soon as possible. Clipping the extra gun to her belt, she sat in the driver's seat, turning the car on.</p><p>After a very long five minutes, Brutus came out with Dick. Amanda's heart skipped a beat when she saw Dick, all huddle up in Brutus's arms. He was covered in cuts and bruises, and his eyes were closed. "What happened?" Amanda asked worriedly as he set Dick in the front seat. "They tortured him. I don't know what they wanted, but it was pretty bad. He needs to go to the hospital." "Got it. Now get back in there and grab the guys who did this."</p><p>Amanda turned on the sirens, driving onto the street towards the hospital. Dick groaned as she turned, stirring slightly. "Hey, stay with me, Grayson. We're on our way to the hospital." "...Manda?" "It's me, Dick. Stay with me now." "Carice case." "What?" "They...they wanted to know about the Carice case. Told em I didn't know anything about it." "Dammit. Hey, stay awake. I'll explain once you're better."</p><p>"The Carice case...was a case where nearly fifteen...million worth of explosives...were almost set off." "How did you know that?" "I could access it from the system. Was I not supposed to?" "That doesn't matter. Did you tell them anything?" "No. They don't got nothing." Amanda sighed, pulling in front of the hospital.</p><p>Dick groaned as she picked him up, grimacing at his injuries. "Just a little longer, Dickie. We're almost there." "M'tired." "I know, but it's just a little longer." He just groaned again, eyes slipping shut. Maybe just a short nap.</p><p>The doctors rushed over to Amanda, another bringing a gurney. "What happened?" "We were abducted, and he was tortured. He's in serious need of help." "We'll take care of him. We need you to stay out here, someone will come and inform you when he's done." Amanda set Dick on the gurney and watched as he was taken away, feeling just as helpless as she had in the cell.</p><p>The chief joined her in the waiting room, along with Brutus. "Everyone is accounted for, and in jail. We've got them. How is he?" "I don't know yet. They're still working on him." "He'll make it. He's strong." "They knew about the Carice case. They tried torturing information out of him." "But he doesn't know anything about it." "Somehow, his rookie access allowed him in. He didn't tell them anything, but I'm worried that they knew about it."</p><p>Amanda paced around the waiting room for a good hour, occasionally biting her nails. No one had come to get them, which meant Dick wasn't stable yet, which meant he had a chance of dying. Amanda couldn't get the image of him covered in blood out of her head. The way he'd barely been breathing...she shuddered. She couldn't forget it.</p><p>"Maybe you should sit down. Your knees are shaking." The chief said, gently grabbing Amanda's arms. "I-I can't. I can't sit still, I can't do anything besides worry about him." "I know, but tiring yourself out won't help the situation. He could be done at any second." "But we don't know that. What if he dies while they're still working on him?" "Then they'll tell us. But you're freaking out over something that might not happen. So come sit down, and we'll wait for him."</p><p>"We need to call his family." "Already took care of it. They're on their way. Now sit. Don't make me order it." Amanda hesitantly sat down, holding onto her arms tightly. How was she supposed to face Dick's family?</p><p>By the time the doctors were done, Dick's family had arrived. His father and two boys, one with a streak of white hair and one without, were sitting next to them. The smaller boy was holding the older boy's hand, shaking. He knew he should've talked Dick out of becoming a police officer.</p><p>The doctor eventually came out, looking for Amanda. "Officer Caines?" "That's me. How is he?" "He had plenty of injuries. Bruises, cuts, broken ribs, and a mild concussion. We've stabilized him, and have him comfortably situated in a room. He's resting, but he should wake up soon. Right this way."</p><p>Amanda's hands shook as she walked behind the doctor, hearing the quiet shuffling of feet behind her. She twisted her ring, which had been a gift from her mother. She always twisted her ring when she was nervous. Right now, she felt more nervous than she had ever felt.</p><p>As soon as she stepped in, she took in Dick's appearance. He was slightly pale, covered in bandages. He had an IV and blood dripping into his arm, as well as a breathing tube under his nose. He was sleeping peacefully, the heart monitor calling out his heartbeats.</p><p>Amanda sat shakily in one of the seats, barely able to comprehend the sight before her. This wasn't the Grayson she knew. He was always awake and laughing, sometimes poking fun with her. He always knew when to stop, which she was grateful for. Now, she wanted him to start again.</p><p>The hospital room was filled with dreaded silence, besides the heart monitor. No one risked saying anything, in fear of waking Dick. Amanda wanted to shout, to try and wake him up, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. She didn't think any of them could.</p><p>After thirty minutes, Dick groaned. Amanda's breath hitched in her throat, unable to tear herself away from Dick's eyes. They were still, and for half a beat Amanda thought maybe she'd heard nothing, until his eyes cracked open. "Welcome back to the land of the living, Goldie." "Mhmm. Now shush so I can sleep."</p><p>Amanda sighed. Grayson would be fine. As long as he was being sarcastic, he would be alright. It still worried her that he was in the condition he was in, but at least he was awake. She swore that day was the day she'd protect him as much as possible. That was a promise almost everyone in the department made soon after.</p>
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<a name="section0073"><h2>73. Hard of hearing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick was deaf. He'd been deaf since birth, and had to have hearing aids to hear anything. He knew sign language, and was the best in the hero community when it came to reading lips. Unfortunately, he worked in a very destructive field, and his hearing aids were destroyed one night. Bruce had promised to make him new hearing aids, and to get them to him as soon as possible. However, Dick still had work to do.</p><p>The second he stepped into the department was unnerving. He usually heard chattering, or papers shuffling around. Occasionally he heard the angry prisoner not yet sent to an actual jail. Now he heard nothing, and Dick hated it. It reminded him of when kidnappers would take his hearing aids as Dick Grayson, leaving him at a disadvantage.</p><p>He made his way to his desk, looking around in case someone called him. He got the occasional wave, a few hellos and good mornings, but nothing else. Or, nothing else that he saw. This was not going to be easy, and Dick really hoped Bruce could make a pair of hearing aids in a day.</p><p>Dick worked files, hoping that no one called his name. He was completely deaf without his hearing aids, and couldn't hear anything. Even if he was at the loudest concert right next to the speakers, it was useless without hearing aids. He hated this.</p><p>A hand rested on his shoulder, and it took everything in Dick's power not to jump. He turned around to see Amanda, staring at him with concern. "You alright? I called your name five times?" "Yeah. Just got lost in thought." "If you're sure. The chief wants us in his office." Dick stood and went with Amanda, already mentally cursing. This was not going to be easy.</p><p>Dick entered the office. "Nice of you to join us, Grayson. Took a bit, didn't it?" The chief smiled playfully. "Yeah, you could say that." Dick blushed. "It's fine. We've got a guy in interrogation, we need him to tell us the location of a kid he abducted. This is his file. Whenever you're ready, he's in the interrogation room."</p><p>Dick nodded, watching as they left the office. He sat down in front of the desk, reading over the file. This guy had kidnapped six children so far, but all had been returned. Now he had a seventh, Samantha Niles, hidden somewhere. Dick felt sick to his stomach and had to put the file down, lest he risk throwing up. He remembered the first time he got kidnapped.</p><p>He'd been at the Manor when a man attacked, taking him away. He'd been locked in a cage, hands bound and mouth gagged as the kidnapper demanded seven million dollars for him. Dick had been terrified, not letting go of Bruce when he came. Dick hadn't slept for days, terrified the man would come back.</p><p>When Dick had the strength to pick up the file again, he read the names, memorizing each face. Did they sleep? Did they ever panic when they were left alone? Did they have nightmares?</p><p>Amanda walked in, noticing how Dick didn't look up. Something was wrong with him, she could feel it. He never ignored them. Had they done something to offend him? Had she left the coffee maker off one too many times?</p><p>She knocked on the door frame, but got no reaction. She tried again, yet the lack of reaction remained. She walked loudly towards him, and he didn't do anything. She put her hand on his shoulder, and watched him flinch. Did Dick Grayson, Nightwing, former Boy Wonder, just flinch?</p><p>"Are you sure you're alright, Dick? You've been really weird today." Amanda asked. "I'm sure I'm fine. This case just…kind of hits home. The first time this happened to me, I was eight. Bruce had just taken me in, and I was still grieving. Then this guy takes me, and I'm terrified. I don't know where I am, I'm locked up, and this guy is demanding seven million dollars for my freedom. These kids are no older than I was, if not younger."</p><p>"If you need me to, I can take the interrogation. If it hits too close, I'll take over." "I know, I just…this is something I need to do. As terrifying as you can be, I think I know a way to hit home with him. A way to get him to crack and tell us where Samantha is." "Okay. As long as you promise me that the second you need to leave, you do. I don't care if he's three seconds away from cracking, you get out of there." "I'll do my best. Patrol messed with my hearing aids a bit, but I'll try to listen for you." "Alright."</p><p>Amanda stepped into the observation room, worry pooling in her stomach. "You alright?" "Yeah. This case is a little close to home, and I made him promise me to back out the second he needed it, but something's wrong with his hearing aids. He may not hear us if we try to tell him through the speaker." "Then we go in there physically."</p><p>Dick sat down in front of the crook, slamming the file down. "So, how are we going to do this?" Dick sighed, lacing his fingers together and resting his chin on his hands. "I ain't telling you nothing. Kid's parents ain't paid yet." "Ah, you're a hard way, aren't you? Or, are you?"</p><p>"What you babbling about?" "You always take the kids when they're away from their parents. You only communicate by text message. When the parents pay the ransom, you never deliver the kid yourself. You're nothing more than a coward." Dick smirked behind his hands as the criminal got madder.</p><p>"You got some guts calling me a coward. It's called precautions. Keeps me in business." "Yet you got caught. So sad. So, I'm going to ask once. You better hope I don't ask again. Where is Samantha Niles?" "Like I'm telling you, cop." "Alright, didn't have to do this. Who's the most important person to you?"</p><p>The crook looked surprised. "What's it matter to you?" "No, tell me. I want to know." "If anythin, it's my truck." "Your truck. Alright. Let's say you have your truck. You've gone into an office building, to work your nine to five shift. Your truck is in the building's parking lot, safe as can be under camera surveillance. You leave it there, like you always do, trusting it'll be safe. Got the picture?"</p><p>The crook nodded. "What is he doing?" The chief muttered. "Telling it through his eyes. Showing him a scenario where his truck is like the kids, and he's like the parent. Not bad." Amanda smiled. Maybe this would help break Dick out of his funk.</p><p>"Now, you come out to the parking spot you always park in, only to find your truck gone. Vanished, without a trace. You look all over the parking lot, thinking maybe you parked in a different spot, or maybe you walked the wrong way. But, after a long time of search, you conclude it's not there. Police are notified, and they promise to look for your car. But other than that, they tell you, you can't do anything. Until they find it, your car is gone. The thing you value the most is gone, and you can't do anything to find it. Following so far?"</p><p>The criminal nodded again. "Now, one night, you get a text. It's been a long day, working and hoping every second that you get a call saying the police found your truck in perfect condition. You can barely see straight, you're so tired. You read the text, and all that exhausting is gone. It's a picture of your truck and a crowbar in front of it, with a ransom that there's no way you can afford. If you don't pay the ransom, they're going to completely wreck your car. Now, they tell you if you tell anyone, they're going to wreck it anyway. What do you do?"</p><p>The criminal furrowed his eyebrows. "I go to them, and get my truck back." "Ah, but you don't know where they are. They've got your truck ready to be broken, and you can't go and rescue your truck. The only option you have is to either pay the ransom, or let the truck get destroyed. What do you do?" "I guess I pay the ransom." "Well, that'll take years. Unless we figured out where the truck was and went to get it."</p><p>"My truck's where it always stays: 1704 Mane Street." The criminal said proudly. "That sounded like an address. I think that's where we'll go. If not, your truck will have some clues. Thanks." Dick grinned, grabbing the file and walking out. He closed the door, unable to resist a smirk.</p><p>"Not bad. Although it did take him a little longer." "Dramatics, chief. You've gotta get it right the first time." "Yeah. Let's go get him before he tries to go after Samantha by himself." They left the observation room, casting one more look at the confused crook.</p><p>Dick was walking down the hallway, practically begging that no one called him. He had barely been able to tell what the guy was saying, and he needed a break before going to Samantha. His hands shook, barely holding onto the file.</p><p>He jumped when a hand grabbed his arm, dropping the file completely. He turned around to see Amanda, the chief behind her. "You alright? You're very jumpy." "Yeah. Just…not being able to hear like I normally can, and then this case, it's just a lot." "Why don't you sit this one out?" "No, I can do it. I just need a minute." "Alright. Take a breather in my office. I want you with Amanda, since she knows sign language better than any of us. She told me about your hearing aids." Dick nodded.</p><p>The chief closed the door behind Dick, watching as Dick sat heavily in a chair. He looked at the chief tiredly. This wasn't him. "You're sure you don't need to sit this one out?" "I'll be fine. I just need a minute." "You look exhausted." "Long night." "Yeah, I don't think so. You're staying here. You're way too close to this one." "Chief, I can do this!" "I know. But your hearing aids aren't functioning properly, and one missed signal might be the end of Samantha. So stay here, and be ready to contact her parents."</p><p>Dick sighed and set his head down. "I wouldn't do it if I didn't trust you." Of course, since Dick didn't see him, he didn't hear him, and couldn't respond. The chief assumed that maybe Dick was ignoring him, or maybe his hearing aids cut out again. Amanda had said something about Dick ignoring her earlier.</p><p>Dick waited for what felt like hours. That silence, that horrid silence, it teased him. It taunted him, saying he wasn't normal, that they didn't trust him when he couldn't hear them. If they trusted him, why wasn't he rescuing Samantha?</p><p>At some point he started crying. He hated the silence so much, hated not being able to do anything, and he knew it. He wanted to call someone, but he wouldn't be able to hear them. The squad™ was saving Samantha, Wally and Bruce were at work, and two out of three brothers had school. Jason was probably off with the Outlaws, anyway.</p><p>When the tears ran out, Dick was exhausted. Maybe a quick nap would help. Besides, they didn't need him at the moment, so they wouldn't be too worried. They were more worried about Samantha, anyway. He had time.</p><p>When Amanda returned, she was not expecting to see Dick slumped over the desk. "Dick, are you alright?" She asked, closing the door. He didn't answer. "Dick? C'mon, this isn't funny. Dick, answer me." Amanda said, panic increasing every time Dick remained still. They only thing that told her he was alive was his moving chest.</p><p>"What's wrong?" The chief asked, closing the door. Brutus and James were taking Samantha home. "He's not answering me. I've called his name three times, and he hasn't moved." "Have you tried shaking his shoulder?" "I'm almost scared to. Something's been wrong with him today." "He said his hearing aids were messed up. Maybe he can't hear us." "You know him. His behavior ever since he came in this morning has been different."</p><p>"Try shaking his shoulder. Just…humor me." Amanda frowned, but shook Dick's shoulder anyway. Dick jumped awake, tense and ready to strike. "Easy, tiger. Just us." Amanda sighed. "Samantha?" "Going home. She's fine. You, on the other hand, nearly gave me a heart attack." "Oh. Sorry."</p><p>"What's going on with you today? Did we do something? It feels like you're ignoring us." "I'm not ignoring you. I just can't hear you." "How badly were your hearing aids damaged?" "They were completely destroyed. I can't hear a thing. I'm lucky I can read lips, or else that interrogation would have gone downhill." "So you've gone the entire day deaf?" "Yeah. I hate it, too. I feel like I'm too vulnerable." "Then why come in?" "I still have to work. Just because I can't hear doesn't mean I can't do things."</p><p>"You could always ask us to sign." "It's only temporary." "And it's a temporary solution. My littlest brother is hearing impaired. I know sign language by heart." And I can read lips." Amanda sighed. You're an idiot, you know that? She signed. "Love you too."</p><p>"Dick, stay with Amanda until you're hearing aids are fixed. She'll sign to you. You may be good at reading lips, but everyone makes mistakes. Sign language will be the best communication." Dick sighed, but nodded. "Fine." "Good. Now, I believe we have a case to file?"</p>
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<a name="section0074"><h2>74. Hard of hearing: in the past</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Dick woke up, he was slumped against something. He couldn't pull his hands apart, and he couldn't move his mouth. He was in some sort of cage, which was in a dark and dank room. Where was he? What happened?</p><p>Dick tried to go to the door of the cage, but his hands were tied to some of the bars on the top. "Looks like the brat is up." One man chuckled. "I think we need something to send to Wayne. Something that let's him know the kid is here." "What about a finger? That'll be enough?" Dick gasped, trying to back away.</p><p>"Actually, I was thinking his hearing aids. Poor little deaf kid, without his hearing aids, terrified and unable to hear anything. That'll convince daddy Wayne real quick." Dick whimpered as the cake unlocked, tugging at the restraints. "Aww, poor bugger's scared. That'll help."</p><p>Dick tried to keep away from the man, but his head was slammed into the bars, and the hearing aids were taken. The silence hit Dick like a train, especially when they started laughing and he couldn't hear. Dick watched with tears in his eyes as his hearing aids were put into an envelope, along with some sort of tape. The men looked at him once again and laughed before leaving Dick in the dangerous silence.</p><p>Dick had tried not to, but he had ended up crying. He wanted to go home, he wanted to be able to hear again. His hands hurt from how tight the rope was, and his jaw was beginning to ache from the rag tied around his head. He never asked for this. He didn't know what they wanted, and he couldn't hear them if he asked. He doubted they knew sign language.</p><p>Time passed slowly. Dick lost track, and eventually had no idea how long he'd been there. It felt like days were passing. At some point, his stomach started rumbling, demanding food. No one came to bring him food. He almost didn't expect it. Bruce had told him if he ever got kidnapped, they might not feed him.</p><p>His stomach started hurting. The ropes dug into his wrists, never letting him sleep. His body ached, and his heart yearned for Bruce. He wished for the gentle touches and embraces he'd get when he was at the Manor, especially when he got sick and Bruce got worried. He'd only been at the Manor for three months and had somehow gotten sick twice. Bruce had taken days off, staying with his little bird.</p><p>Dick was so exhausted, he kept nodding off. He missed his bed. He missed Bruce, and Alfred, and the warm Manor. He missed the large cave, filled with bats that he helped Alfred feed. Alfred had once told him it kept the bats from chewing on the wiring in the computer.</p><p>Dick fell asleep, unable to keep his eyes open any longer. He dreamed of home, warm hugs, being able to hear, being with his father. The cold bit at his skin, trying to stir him into the land of consciousness. He ignored it, prefering the warmth and love of his dream.</p><p>Dick continued that cycle for an unknown amount of days. At one point someone gave him water, but food never once showed. He found it harder to stay awake, his body wracked with pain. Where was Bruce? Did he care for the young boy in the cage, slowly getting thinner and colder? It kept going like that, until the day Dick was woken from his sleep.</p><p>A bright light forced him awake, shining in his eyes. He cracked his eyes, trying to see who was coming towards him. He could see them, but he couldn't hear them. Then again, he couldn't hear anything. It looked like one of the men who had taken him.</p><p>A lock clicked, and the door swung open. Dick whimpered, trying to hide as best he could. A hand grabbed his wrists, holding them together. The rope holding him to the cage was undone, and Dick was dragged out of the cage.</p><p>He couldn't walk. He'd been sitting on his legs for too long, and he felt too weak to stand. He collapsed, shaking like he was frozen. He felt frozen, inside and out. An arm wrapped around his waist, hoisting him up and throwing him over a shoulder. Dick didn't care. He felt too weak to care.</p><p>Dick felt the breathing change. Based on the way the chest was moving, the man carrying him was shouting at someone. He was transferred to someone else, arms wrapped around his shoulders and under his knees. He was carried somewhere else, then sat somewhere. A seatbelt was strapped across his body, and Dick finally found the strength to open his eyes.</p><p>He was in a limo, leaned against a man he'd never seen before. Two other men were sitting across from each other on the sides of the car, glaring at each other. They were saying something, but Dick could only lip read a few words. The two men suddenly looked at the man next to him, and an arm was laid across his shoulders.</p><p>Dick drifted off again. He got away from the pain in his body, and the fact that he was leaned against somebody after no contact for an unknown amount of time was relaxing. He was a people person, and he knew it. It wasn't his fault he liked to make others happy.</p><p>Dick was picked up again, waking him slightly. It was the man he'd sat next to carrying him, holding him in that style, what did Bruce call it...bridal style! He was being carried bridal style. Dick felt a little better, knowing he could still remember things, despite feeling absolutely horrible.</p><p>Dick was set on his knees, on a hard wood floor. Opening his eyes again, he found a dock, crates surrounding them. A hand rested on the top of his head, buried in his hair. Despite that, Dick could see the moon. Had it been a half moon when he was taken?</p><p>The hand in his hair tightened, making him screw his eyes shut and whimper. His entire body seemed to be teeming with pain. His nails dug into his palms, and he bit the rag in an effort not to make anymore noise than necessary. He was glad he knew what noises he was making, or this could be a lot more embarrassing. Dick hated some of the sounds he made, especially when he was in the circus. People who came to see the performances teased him about his sounds.</p><p>Dick's head was held down, forcing him to look at the boards. Beneath the boards he could see water, sloshing around. He wished he could hear the water. Waves always helped calm him down. Then again, he was so weak he couldn't muster up the energy to be scared.</p><p>A case was slid over. Dick didn't know what was in it, but he assumed it was a ransom. The hand disappeared from his head, but he was pushed down, weakly sprawled out on the ground. Dick felt people run off, as well as someone come to him. His body was gently cradled, a comforting hand taking off his gag.</p><p>The hand was gone, but returned, gently putting one of his hearing aids in. "Dick? Can you hear me?" A soft voice asked. Dick wanted to cry, he was so happy. It was Bruce. "'Ruce." "I'm here, Chum. I've got you, it's alright." The other hearing aid was replaced, and Dick was pulled into one of the warm hugs he dreamed about so often.</p><p>He was picked up again, being held against a warm and steady chest. Dick snuggled into it, having missed this. He'd missed Bruce. "You're so thin." Bruce muttered, seeing how loosely the shirt hung on Dick's frame. "No food. Got a bit of water, but there wasn't any food." Dick's voice was weak, breaking at random points.</p><p>"We need to get you food. You've been gone five days." "How's Alfie?" "Worried about you. He felt guilty when you were taken." "What...what did they want?" "Seven million." "You paid it?" "You're my son, Dick. I'd do anything to get you back." Dick didn't respond to that, too tired to do anything other than close his eyes.</p><p>He was shaken, keeping him awake. A whine escaped, unintentionally. "I know, Dickie, but you've got to stay awake." "Hurts." "What does?" "Everythin." "Just a few more minutes, Dick. I know it hurts, and I know you're tired, but you need to stay awake." Bruce said frantically, wondering why the hell they hadn't let him pay sooner if they weren't going to take care of Dick. He's have paid the minute he knew Dick was gone if they'd let him.</p><p>Alfred gasped as he saw Dick, opening the door for Bruce. Bruce hurried into the Manor, filling Alfred in on everything. Dick seemed weaker than at the dock, having fallen asleep on the ride. Bruce had tried shaking him awake, but there had been no response.</p><p>The gurney seemed so big compared to Dick, bigger than normal, and Bruce hated it. He hated seeing Dick so weak. This was his fault. If he'd cracked the video before tonight, he would have had Dick back sooner. Dick wouldn't be this weak at all.</p><p>Alfred immediately got to work. Bruce paced on the other side of the gurney, grabbing things Alfred asked for. The more Dick was subjected to injections, tubes and wires, the weaker he seemed to get. He seemed tiny, drowning in the medical equipment.</p><p>Alfred finally stepped back, sitting on another gurney. "He'll be alright. He's lost too much weight, and he's severely dehydrated, but he will recover." Bruce hugged Alfred, knowing they both needed it. They knew it might happen to Dick, they just didn't expect his treatment to be so bad.</p><p>Dick slept in the medbay for an hour before being moved to his room, the wired and tubes accompanying him. The bed swallowed him up, hiding him until he was just a small lump in an endless sea of blanket. Bruce sat on the edge of the bed, holding Dick's hand.</p><p>Alfred put a hand on Bruce's shoulder. "I advise rest, Master Bruce. He will heal in his own time. There is no telling how exhausted that boy was. I would doubt if he slept well at all." "He just seems so small. It feels like he'll just sink into the bed and he gone forever." "He will be alright, Master Bruce. I will stay with him." "I'm going to sleep with him. He needs someone there when he wakes up." "If you feel that is what you must do."</p><p>Bruce laid his head down, holding onto Dick's hand as if it was his last lifeline. He just wanted to apologise and hold Dick forever, keep him safe from a world that only wanted his money. Maybe one day Dick could be free to do what he pleased without the threat of greedy people around.</p><p>When Bruce woke again, Dick was still asleep. He looked a little better, like he minute actually have a chance to be more than a lump in the blankets. He looked like a person, tucked in tightly. Bruce winced as he looked at Dick's bandaged wrists, rubbed raw from the restraints. He should have been faster.</p><p>A small groan emitted from the bed. Bruce's breath hitched in his throat as Dick's eyes cracked open, the beautiful blue spilling through. "Bruce?" "It's me, Chum. You're at home." "Where's Alfred?" "He's getting your new schedule ready. How do you feel?" "Like someone tried to cut my stomach open, pulled all my guts out, and stitched it back up. I feel horrible."</p><p>Dick held onto Bruce's hand tightly, breathing harshly. "Shh, it's okay, Dickie. I know it hurts, but you've got to stay calm, okay?" Dick nodded, trying his best. Bruce knew that, and he also knew Dick might not have felt pain this badly before. He promised himself that he would stay with his baby bird, no matter what.</p><p>Dick had been wary of strangers ever since he was captured. He would hide behind Bruce, peaking out to look at the new people. He wanted to be able to say hello, but he was terrified. What if they just wanted to kidnap him?</p><p>Nothing happened for four years. Dick found himself relaxing, able to open up again. He continued to grow, however little, and found friends. Wally, his best friend, was learning sign language to help him. He didn't deserve friends like Wally, they were just so kind.</p><p>The next time it happened was at a gala. Wally had been with him at that time, laughing at a joke Dick told him in sign language. He was almost fluent in sign language, occasionally forgetting a few signs. He was almost there, and he was going to work until he could do it without thinking about it. Dick deserved it, having stuck with him through everything.</p><p>A window shattered, and men rolled through. Wally pulled Dick behind him, trying to hide the smaller boy as best he could. Men and women were being pushed past, all their jewelry left alone. This wasn't a robbery. What did they want?</p><p>A few caught sight of the duo, and walked over to them. Dick held onto Wally's arm tightly, scared of what they wanted. They were leaving all the jewelry and money alone. That meant they wanted a person. They wanted him.</p><p>Hands wrapped harshly around his biceps, another man grabbing Wally. They were dragged away, barely able to keep the other in their sights. Wally could see the fear in Dick's eyes, memories of those nights coming back.</p><p>They were thrown into the back of a utility van, the door locked behind them. A wall of bars separated them from the front, meaning they were locked in. Dick crawled over to Wally, letting the older boy hold him. "It's alright, Dick. I won't let them hurt you." Wally promised.</p><p>The car took off, throwing the two around. At one point, red and blue lights flashed through the window, but the car sped up, and they were lost in a chase. Dick felt nauseous, curled up into Wally's body. He suspected that Wally felt no better. Then again, he was always running everywhere at the speed of sound.</p><p>The car lurched to a stop, the men in the front stepping out of the van. "Whatever happens, know that I'll be right there." "I will, too." The doors opened, and they were pulled apart. "Grab the kid's ear pieces. They could be communication devices." One of them said. "They're his hearing aids! Without them, he can't hear a thing. Unless you know sign language, he won't be able to understand you." Wally protested, pulling against the hands holding him.</p><p>The men laughed. "I don't care about him. All I care about is what he can get us. Take them." A hand grabbed his hair, and another person removed his hearing aids. He was pushed forward, but held up by the hands around his arms. He was dragged away again, hopefully with Wally following.</p><p>He was thrown into a cell, the bars slamming behind him. Dick watched as Wally was tossed into another cell, worried for the speedster. The hearing aids were dropped in front of his cell, just out of reach.</p><p>Are you alright? Wally signed. I think so. I can't reach my hearing aids. Dick signed back. I can't use my speed, or I'd grab them for you. Wally looked disappointed. What's wrong? Wally sighed. They just took your hearing aids. I couldn't do anything to stop them. Dick smiled. So? It's not your fault. Bruce is probably tracking me right now. It won't be long now.</p><p>"What's with the jazz hands, kids?" One of the men asked. "I told you, he's deaf. He can't hear a thing without his hearing aids, and he can't reach them. Sign language is the only way I can communicate with him." Wally snarled. "Cute. What do you think, Darrell? Think we should give the kid his hearing aids back?" "Nah. He'll find a way to get them."</p><p>The men walked off laughing. I tried. I'm sorry, Dick. Dick rested his forehead on the bars. I know. I'm just glad they didn't break them. If I lay on my stomach, I might be able to reach them. Or I could dislocate my arm. Wally shuddered. Try the first one. I'd rather you not injure yourself when I can't help you.</p><p>Dick laid on his stomach, reaching a hand under the bars. He could just barely touch them, but he was pressed completely against the bars. Just a little bit farther. You're almost there. Wally signed, watching for the men. Dick strained, but he couldn't reach them.</p><p>They're too far. I can't get to them. Dick wanted to cry. He'd just lost a vital sense, and they were right in front of him. This was a cruel trick, even for some criminals. It just wasn't fair. Why did they always take how hearing aids?</p><p>I don't like it, but you may have to try dislocating your arm. Can you get it back into place? Dick nodded. I should be able to. Wally bit his lip. Then be careful. Dick nodded, standing up.</p><p>He let out a small yelp as his arm dislocated, trying to stifle it. Wally watched as Dick reached under the bars again, managing to grab one hearing aid. The other was just too far. I got one. I can't reach the other. Dick signed. Do you think Batman is still tracking you? Dick nodded. Definitely. He'll be here in about five minutes.</p><p>And if he isn't? Wally asked. Then they'll demand a ransom. We'll be let go once it's paid. Dick sat against the back wall, replacing the hearing aid. But you don't want that. Wally knew that. They always demand so much. Bruce always tries to lie and tell me it's alright. Money is just money. But I know he struggles. He struggles to keep me safe, and I try not to add onto that, but people are cruel. They're greedy, and they don't care about others. They just want things that will eventually fade. For them, I'm a bargaining chip, nothing more. It won't be alright until the world is rid of them.</p><p>Dick sighed, putting his head in his arms. If it's any consolation, Bruce'll beat their asses when he gets here. Wally signed, trying to make Dick smile. Or he'll just pay the ransom again. Dick hated that. He hated how Bruce just paid the ransoms so willingly. Nah. If he's tracking you, he'll be coming as Batman, and he won't let them get away so easily. Wally smiled.</p><p>Dick didn't answer. Anyway, you need to fix your arm. Can you do it? Wally changed the subject. Yeah, I should be able to. You alright so far? Dick asked. Yeah. I just wish I could get us out of here. Barry could do it. Dick sighed. Bruce would probably be out of this situation already. He'd be disappointed. Dick couldn't help but feel that Bruce would be extremely disappointed.</p><p>Sure, and I'm the world's slowest snail. He's not disappointed. You're Dick Grayson right now, not Robin. He knows you can't escape without raising questions. He's not disappointed, Dick. He knew we couldn't do anything. Besides, it's like you said. He's probably tracking you right now. Wally attempted. If he was tracking me, he would have infiltrated wherever this is. He's going to pay the ransom.</p><p>Dick seemed convinced that Bruce wasn't coming. Even after popping his arm back into place, he didn't look any more hopeful about the situation. Dick knew Bruce better than anyone, yet he seemed so unsure. This wasn't the Dick Grayson Wally knew.</p><p>Do you want to talk about it? Wally asked. Talk about what? Dick tried to play dumb. The way you don't seem sure about whether Bruce is coming or not. Wally put it as bluntly as he could. I've just screwed up a lot this week. Now I've screwed up again. I can't possibly screw up any more.</p><p>The door to the hallway of cells opened, the man slamming it shut. He had a gun at his side, and looked scared. Still think he's not coming? Wally smiled. Dick looked away. We don't know it's him. Dick reluctantly signed. We don't know it's not him.</p><p>A figure landed behind the man, silently landing on his feet. Dick winced sympathetically, watching as Batman took out the crook. After cuffing the man, Batman hurried to Dick's cell, grabbing the hearing aid. Dick stayed sitting when Batman unlocked the door, unable to look him in the eye.</p><p>Bruce frowned as he knelt down, seeing the attempts to look away from him. He gently cupped Dick's face, making him look at his face. "What's wrong?" Bruce asked quietly. Dick found it strange, only hearing from one area. "That's the sixth time I've screwed up this week." "You didn't screw up, Dick. You had no control. There was no way for you to screw up." Bruce tried to put his hand on Dick's shoulder, but Dick's hiss made him stop.</p><p>"Are you alright?" "Had to dislocate my arm to reach the hearing aid I have in. I have it back in place, but it's sore." Dick admitted, a pink tint dusted across his cheeks. Bruce gently picked Dick up, carrying him out of the cell. "What about Wally?" "I haven't forgotten about him."</p><p>Dick stood by the cell as Batman picked the lock, watching the unconscious criminal. He was waiting for the man to wake up and attack them. However much he wanted it, it never happened. He knew Batman wouldn't spare any of them an ounce of pain. He just wanted something to fight.</p><p>He was picked up again, held against Bruce's chest. He didn't know why Bruce was carrying him. Maybe he just wanted the reassurance Dick was alright. Who knew?</p><p>Dick was silent as Bruce carried him out, thinking of the past week. How many times had Bruce had to rescue him? How many times had he ended up unconscious, unable to protect himself? How many times had he let Bruce down? Let Gotham down?</p><p>Dick was set in a seat, Wally climbing in next to him. Bruce hopped into the driver's seat, the Batmobile's windows sliding shut. Wally cradled Dick, hugging him softly. Bruce handed Wally the other hearing aid, and Wally carefully replaced it. Dick pressed into Wally, but made no other movements. Was Dick okay?</p><p>At the cave, Bruce took Dick from Wally, allowing him to get up and follow the older. "What's wrong with him?" "I think he's connecting the last time he got kidnapped to this time. Only last time was a lot worse. He's trying to separate the two, hopefully." "How bad was the last time?" Wally wanted to cry. Who would think of hurting someone as sweet as Dick?</p><p>"He was starved, and dehydrated. They kept him in a cage, and they took his hearing aids. He was only nine. He had trouble trusting anyone for years." Bruce explained, looking down sadly at his son.</p><p>Dick clenched his eyes closed and grabbed onto Bruce's suit, shaking as he recalled a certain memory. Bruce sat on the computer chair, running his fingers through Dick's hair. "It's alright, Dick. You're at home, you're safe. Breath, Dickie. It's alright." Dick's breathing was speeding up, just on the edge of hyperventilating.</p><p>Dick dug his head into Bruce's chest, sobbing harshly. Bruce looked at Wally, and he got the message. Alfred was needed. He quickly ran off, searching for the butler. Bruce held Dick tightly, keeping him from hurting himself. Dick was fighting against Bruce, trying to get free. Bruce knew holding Dick down was probably scaring him, but it was the best way to keep him safe until Alfred arrived.</p><p>Wally gently set Alfred down, the elder having agreed to be carried to Dick. Dick would have been thrashing, had it not been for the arms holding him down. Bruce was trying to talk to Dick, but Dick wouldn't calm down. He was panicking, thinking someone had him again.</p><p>Alfred ordered Wally to get a sedative, helping Bruce hold the boy. Dick fought harder, thinking more people were grabbing him. Wally quickly reappeared with the sedative, hands shaking. He'd never seen Dick this bad before. Dick was always the calm and cool voice of reason. Wally should be the one panicking, not Dick.</p><p>Dick stilled once the sedative entered his system, going limp. "Dick? Can you hear me?" Bruce asked softly, brushing the hair out of Dick's face. It took a second, but Dick slowly nodded. Wally sighed, leaning against the computer heavily. Dick would be alright.</p><p>"You're at home, Chum. Wally's here too. What happened?" "Dunno. Just kinda hit me. Don't know what caused it." "What were you thinking of?" "Last time. You were talking about it, and I just kinda thought about it." "Let's get you to bed." "Can Wally come?" Bruce looked over at Wally, who looked at him pleadingly. He needed to know Dick was alright. "Yes, he can come."</p><p>Wally happily followed Bruce, watching Dick with concern. Dick had his eyes cracked lazily, watching Wally right back. As long as Wally was nearby, he could be alright. Wally, Bruce, and Alfred were all he needed. Well, maybe he needed his hearing aids, as being deaf for a long time would drive him insane after hearing for years.</p><p>Bruce set Dick on the bed, going to fetch pajamas for the young boy. Wally sat next to Dick and let him lean on his shoulder, thankful Bruce had let him come. Bruce knew him well enough to know that he would've found a way to see Dick if he'd been denied.</p><p>Wally let Bruce help Dick, hoping to avoid a batarang that night. Besides, Dick had his privacy, and Wally respected that. Once Dick was changed into pajamas, he was tucked into bed. "You can sleep here tonight. I'll contact Barry and tell him you're here." Bruce told Wally. "Thank you."</p><p>Wally changed into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, using clothes he had in Dick's room for sleepovers. They practically lived in Dick's room, although Dick had clothes over at Wally's room. Wally climbed in next to Dick, laying far enough away he wasn't touching Dick. He planned on trying to stay that far when Dick rolled over, placing himself on Wally's chest.</p><p>Wally gulped. "Dick?" Dick snuggled into his chest, making his message clear: Wally wasn't going anywhere. "Your dad is going to kill me." "I'll talk to him I'm the morning. Go to sleep." Dick mumbled, somehow managing to convince Wally that he would be fine. "If I die, I'm blaming you." "Har, har. Sleep." "Fine." Wally wrapped his arms around Dick, snuggling into the boy. As long as Dick was alright, he was alright.</p>
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<a name="section0075"><h2>75. Arrested</h2></a>
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    <p>Dick always knew the team would one day get arrested. They were extremely destructive, and were going to destroy the wrong thing. He didn't expect them to be arrested in civies, nor for there to be so few of them. He really didn't expect his husband to be there.</p><p>Dick watched as Wally, Artemis, and Kaldur were pulled into the station, hands cuffed behind their backs. Wally smiled at him. "Hey, babe." "What did you do now?" "Was going to the store when I ran into these two. Turns out they were being chased, and I got roped in."</p><p>Dick chuckled. "I'll take it from here. Thanks, George." George handed Wally over to Dick, whispering something in his ear. Dick simply chuckled and playfully hit him. "What?" "Nothing. Let's get going."</p><p>The three were brought to an interrogation room, where Dick sat against the wall. "So, what happened this time?" "Mobsters. Chased us until we ran into the police, then scampered. They blew the door to a warehouse down, but we were blamed because we were running." Artemis shrugged.</p><p>Wally was antsy. He was never this close to Dick without being able to touch him. He kept twisting his ring, looking at Dick with desperate eyes. Dick wanted to hold Wally's hand, but he was currently in custody, and Dick couldn't do that. Wally knew that, and he was trying his best to keep Dick out of trouble.</p><p>The chief eventually came in, closing the door softly. He could practically see the nerves coming from Wally. "Hey, Chief. What's up?" "They're free to go. We found footage from a camera near the warehouse that progress they're innocent. It does mean we've got some people to track down." Dick nodded, pulling his keys out.</p><p>Wally wrapped his arms around Dick once the cuffs were off. "I wanted to hug you." "I know. Once I get off work, we'll go home. You can hug me all you want." Dick whispered, rubbing Wally's back. Dick could feel Wally shaking.</p><p>Wally stayed at the precinct the rest of the afternoon, watching as Dick worked. Whenever Wally started getting antsy again, Dick would hold his hand for a few minutes. Dick knew Wally had always hated the idea of getting arrested, especially when he was innocent.</p><p>When they finally went home, Wally snuggled into Dick's side. "Are you alright?" Dick asked, sitting on the sofa. "Yeah, just shaken up. I've always hated the idea of being arrested. Even if it was for a short time, it hit hard." Dick smiled softly, pulling Wally to his chest. "I understand. It probably reminds you of your dad, huh?" Wally nodded. "I don't ever want to be like him."</p><p>"You are nothing like your dad, Wally. If you were, you'd be a drunk abuser. You're not either of those things, and you never will be. You are too kind for that. I don't care if you get arrested or not, you'd never do something like he did. You are too good hearted to do that. You care too much about others."</p><p>"You're sure?" Wally asked softly. "Positive. I don't care how many times you get arrested, you're my husband. I know you better than the other cops do. I know that you would never do anything to get arrested." "Besides play vigilante?" Wally chuckled. "Thanks to the chief, we don't have to worry about that. Trust me." "Well, now I have a new story for the team." "I'm sure they'll love it. Just relax. I've got you, and I'm not letting go." "Even if I'm arrested?" "Even if you're arrested."</p><p>That wasn't the only time the team was arrested. Bart, Tim, and Conner had been brought in, accused of robbing a store, despite the lack of money or food. Wally was at work in Central, thankfully, and didn't have to freak out about Bart being arrested.</p><p>"So, what happened now?" Dick asked. "Wrong place at the wrong time. Got any food?" Bart asked. "Pretty much. Got knocked out, and since we were the only ones in the store besides the cashier, got blamed." Tim shrugged. "Well, unless we get surveillance, you might be going to jail. Bruce could always bail you out, but I'm not sure he'd be too eager." "Tell me about it." Tim huffed, leaning his head back.</p><p>"I can call him, if you want." "I don't know. I don't want another lecture." "Has he been in a bad mood recently?" "Very." "I'll talk to him, see what I can do. After that, I'll see if I can bring you to my apartment for a bit." "Thanks, Dickie."</p><p>They were taken to a cell, the cuffs temporarily taken off. Conner held Tim, running his fingers through his hair. Tim always had really soft hair. Maybe it was whatever shampoo Jason had given him once.</p><p>Bart paced around the cell, whining about how he was hungry. Conner eventually snapped, telling him to stop or he'd wake Tim. Tim hadn't been sleeping well recently, and Conner was trying to help him. Dick had a feeling those two were going to end up like him and Wally.</p><p>Dick eventually came back, Bruce behind him. "You're free to go. Tim will be with me." Conner gently shook Tim awake and repeated what Dick said. Tim watched as Bart and Conner walked away, hoping Bruce didn't lecture them too much.</p><p>Tim fell asleep under Dick's desk. He'd crawled under at one point, and was now clinging onto Dick's leg. Dick let him, figuring it would help him calm down. He could get a little worked up when Bruce was in a bad mood. They all could.</p><p>"Hey, Dickie. Where's your brother?" Amanda asked. "Holding onto my leg like it's the last thing he'll ever hold. He's asleep right now." Dick gestured to the sleeping boy. Amanda chuckled, kneeling down. Tim's hair was just long enough to cover one eye when he slept, especially when he had his face pressed against Dick's leg.</p><p>"So, you're stuck." "Pretty much." "Well, have fun. Try not to think about going to the bathroom." "I'll try not to." Amanda walked away, and Dick sighed. "Just a few more hours, bud, then we'll go." He whispered, reaching down to pet Tim's head.</p><p>Tim woke up long enough to walk to Dick's car before falling asleep again. Dick used his jacket as a blanket for Tim, carefully covering the smaller. Tim looked exhausted, and Dick wanted to give him a place to go to when he needed to crash. Tim was always welcome, but Dick wouldn't hesitate to let Tim stay when Bruce was in a bad mood.</p><p>Dick carried Tim up to his apartment, laying him on the couch. He traded the jacket for a real blanket, which Tim burrowed into. Dick simply chuckled, leaving a bowl of goldfish and a glass of water out. He knew his brother well.</p><p>Wally eventually came home, and Dick came up to him. "Hey, Dickie. I'm home." Wally smiled, wrapping his arms around Dick's waist. "I see that. Tim's here right now, since Bruce is in a bad mood. I hope you don't mind." "Not at all. I know how your dad gets. Is he asleep?" "Yeah. He's on the couch." "So, how'd you two meet up?" "Tim, Bart, and Conner had gotten knocked out during a store robbery and were arrested. Bruce bailed them out, but I don't think that helped his mood any, so I wanted to give Tim a break from that."</p><p>Tim groaned, and Dick walked over. "Timmy? You awake?" He asked quietly, sitting in front of the couch. Tim cracked his eyes open, yawning as he sat up. "M'awake." "Good. I'm gonna start making dinner soon. Wally's here as well, if you need anything. You're welcome to stay." "Thanks, Dickie." "It's no problem."</p><p>Tim made sure not to get arrested again, even though he hadn't done anything. It didn't look good to have arrested on your resume. Wally did the same, hating the feeling. At least Dick didn't have to worry about those two anymore. Now if only he could get the rest of the team to follow their examples.</p>
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<a name="section0076"><h2>76. Lab accidents suck</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dick hadn't been expecting to wake up in a tank of water. He hadn't been expecting tons of scientists either, surrounding said tank and taking notes. What happened? Why was he in water in the first place? How was he even able to breathe?</p><p>Dick could see Amanda and the Chief in the corner. They looked concerned, watching his tank. Had something happened to him? They didn't normally look this worried unless he was hurt. Did he do something stupid again?</p><p>Dick's eyes fluttered closed, and sound ceased to exist. All that remained was the feeling of water rushing across his skin. His legs felt weird, though. And why were his feet so big? He really must've done something stupid.</p><p>The lab was dark when he woke again. Wally was sleeping on the floor beside the tank, huddled under a blanket. He was facing the tank, probably because he'd been watching the tank. Dick looked down, almost helping when he saw his legs.</p><p>His legs were a tail. It was bright blue, smaller fins on the side. That would explain how he was alive, being underwater for however long he'd been there without a mask. But how did he get like this? What happened to him? How long had he been unconscious?</p><p>Well, at least his tail movements were similar to having knees. Dick sat down, looking closely at Wally. He had dark bags under his eyes, and he looked pale. Dick set his hand against the glass, wishing he could leave and reach Wally again.</p><p>Dick waited until the lights came on to wake Wally up, tapping on the glass. Wally groaned, rolling over. Dick sighed, swimming to the top of the tank and splashing water onto him. Wally gasped, sitting up and shaking his head.</p><p>"Morning, sleepy head." "Dick!" Wally leapt up, placing his hands against the glass with a smile on his face. Dick swam back down, putting his hand where Wally's was. "Hey, Walls." "You have no idea how worried I was." "How long was I out?" "A few weeks. How do you feel? Does anything hurt?" "I feel fine. But how did I end up like this?" "You don't remember?"</p><p>Dick looked down, shaking his head. "No. I don't remember anything." "What's the last thing you remember? Do you know a date?" "I remember waking up to go to work and doing a few files. It was May sixteenth. Wally, what day is it?" "It's June twenty seventh." "I've been out for over a month?" "No. You've been out for three weeks. You were missing for two."</p><p>"Where was I?" "We're not entirely sure. Someone found you washed up on the shore, but didn't know who you were. They called Star Labs, and Star Labs contacted us. We could really use some memory right now." "No kidding. Is there a way to reverse this?" "We're not sure. One of the scientists suggested letting you sit outside of the tank, dry you off, but the others shot it down. It was too risky."</p><p>"So, why such a small tank?" "The scientists felt it would be the safest tank, while you were still unconscious. I think once they're satisfied with your condition, you'll be moved." Dick leaned against the glass, trying to be as close to Wally as possible.</p><p>"I love you." Dick whispered. "I love you too, Dickie. I missed you." "I know, I'm sorry." "It wasn't your fault. Once we find a way to change you back, we'll go home. I promise." "I'd like that." "Martan is waiting on you." "I can't wait to see him again."</p><p>"Dick! It's nice to see you awake again." Cisco smiled, walking in with Caitlin following. "I'm in Central?" "Yep. Guy named Robert found you on our beach, and the other locations decided you should be here while you heal. You were in a pretty rough condition. So, what happened?" "There may be a problem answering that." Dick blushed.</p><p>"You don't remember it?" Caitlin asked. "No. It's just a blank. The last day I remember is May sixteenth." "It is possible that whoever did this to you kept you sedated." "Maybe. But why do this to someone and then abandon them?" "Maybe someone tried to rescue you, but you got washed up." Wally suggested. "While that is possible, I doubt that's what happened. There isn't anything close enough to our shores. Barry's out there right now, trying to get some clues with Arthur. We'll know more when they get back." Caitlin pointed out.</p><p>"Well, in the meantime, I think we need to check on those burns." "Burns?" "On your back. They're near your tail. They're wrapped in bandages." "I don't feel any burns. I didn't feel the bandages either." Dick looked down, surprised to see there were indeed bandages wrapped around his waist. "Strange. I know you have a high pain tolerance, but I would expect you to feel the bandages." "Maybe it's being this way that's keeping me from feeling it?" "It's possible." Cisco shrugged</p><p>"What can you feel? Tell us that." Caitlin urged. "The water moving against my skin. The metal on the bottom. The glass." "What temperature is the water?" "It's a little warm." "That's good. Any tastes?" "It's a little salty." "Just like you." Wally muttered. "Would you like to share with the rest of the class, Mister West?" Dick smirked. "Nope."</p><p>"Well, your family will be back from the mission soon, so they'll be able to visit. Until we can figure out how to change you back, you're going to be stuck in tanks for a while." "I figured." "If your burns have healed enough, we'll move you to the bigger tank." "Why do you have these tanks, anyway?" "We sometimes get strange creatures from the ocean, usually from deeper down. We research them to tell the world about them. We got lucky some of these tanks are large enough to hold great whites."</p><p>Dick swam towards the top, giving Cisco access to his back. Wally stood under him, reaching his hand up. Dick grabbed it, lacing their fingers. Wally didn't seem to care about the water dripping down his arm, nor did Dick care that it was a little harder to breathe. They had each other again. Nothing was more important than that.</p><p>"Alright, it looks like they've healed well. We can move you to the bigger tank now." Cisco smiled, rewrapping the bandages. "How are we going to transport him?" Caitlin asked. "I'll carry him. I can get him there the fastest." Wally decided. "That's a good idea. Go ahead and take him, it's the tank down the hall."</p><p>Wally climbed the ladder, and Dick wrapped his arms around Wally's neck. "Sorry, I think I'm getting your shirt wet." "A shirt will dry. You, however, need to stay wet. Hold on." Dick held on tightly as Wally ran to the bigger tank, shivering slightly.</p><p>Wally gently slid Dick into the water, wanting to hold onto the younger. He didn't want to lose Dick again. Wally had just gotten him back. He'd go crazy if they were separated.</p><p>Dick leaned against the side of the pool, giving Wally his hand. "Are you alright?" He asked, looking up at Wally. "I don't want to let you go." "I'm not going anywhere. I'm okay." "You were out for so long." "I'm not anymore. I'm okay, really." "I know, I'm just worried. What if we can't change you back?"</p><p>"That won't happen. The scientists here are geniuses. They'll figure something out." "I know." "I'm going to be fine, Wally. Trust me." "I trust you. It's whatever happened to you I don't trust. Are you sure you don't remember anything?" "I'm positive. If I knew, I'd tell you."</p><p>Dick spent three days in the large tank. He usually swam around, occasionally napping. It was convenient he knew fish didn't sleep for long, or he'd have gone insane. It got a little lonely at night when no one else was awake, but it was alright. At least he had a blanket from Arthur when it got chilly.</p><p>The fourth day, Dick felt sick. He slept most of the day, curled up on a rock. It wasn't super comfortable, but it was warm from the artificial sunlight. Plus, it was close to the glass, which meant Wally could easily see him. Amanda also came to visit that day, which only spurred on her protective side.</p><p>Arthur was with Dick in the tank, trying to take care of him as best he could. When he started feeling sick he was pulled out, although he wasn't happy. Dick needed someone with him, in case he got worse.</p><p>Wally didn't move the entire day. He sat in front of the tank, watching as Dick slept the day away. He wished he could help. He couldn't lose Dick again, or he'd go insane. He might never regain his sanity again. Not that he had much of one to begin with.</p><p>It was a quiet night that night. Dick didn't feel well enough to swim around, and everyone was tired from worrying. Would they stop worrying? Probably not. Would Dick get better? He had to. Wally wouldn't survive if Dick didn't get better.</p><p>Because everyone was sleeping, no one noticed the two men sneak into the facility. No one noticed when one pulled Dick out of the water, slung over his shoulder. No one noticed when his hands and tail were bound, nor did they notice when he was put into a small tank with a thin layer of water. No one noticed the blanket that was left behind, laying on the rock.</p><p>No one noticed Dick was gone until the next morning. Wally had been the first to wake up, and had immediately noticed the empty tank. At first, he thought Dick might have gone to the deeper end, where it was a little cooler. When Dick wasn't there, he panicked. There was nowhere Dick could go besides the tank.</p><p>"Cisco? Did you move Dick?" Wally asked, running into the main lab. "No? He was supposed to be in the big tank." Cisco mumbled, stuffing another donut in his mouth. "I woke up, and he's not there. I checked the entire tank." "You're sure he's not just hiding in the kelp?" "Positive." "He didn't just disappear." "That's his job!" "Then why are you worrying?" "Because he usually has legs, and can survive out of water for more than five minutes." "Look, we'll find him." "Are you sure?" "Yes. The medicine we gave him for the burns has a tracker in it, so I can find him." "Why didn't you just say that?" "You didn't ask."</p><p>Dick woke groggily, groaning at the pounding headache he had. Something was wrong. Had the water level been that low when he was last awake? And why couldn't he move? Had they drugged him, trying to get rid of his sickness? Shouldn't they have told him then?</p><p>He cracked his eyes open, shocked to see he was no longer at Star Labs. He was in some sort of mad scientist lab, with tubes and containers strewn around. Looking down, he could ropes binding his hands and tail together, and well as binding his arms to his sides.</p><p>Dick looked around wildly, trying to find some way out. There had to be a way, there was always a way! He just had to think. How could a mermaid get out of a laboratory with no idea of where the heck he was? There had to be some way. Maybe he could flop outside, or try to communicate with one of those machines. It was worth a shot, right?</p><p>Two humans walked into the room, talking with each other. The woman was dressed in a trench coat, with goggles strapped to her forehead. The guy was wearing a suit, checking his pocket watch. They seemed to be arguing about something.</p><p>Dick pulled against the restraints, suppressing a yelp when the ropes around his tail tightened. It hurt, more than he liked to admit. He didn't expect his tail to not have the pain tolerance his legs usually had. He really needed to change back.</p><p>"I've told you already, Margaret, if you don't bring him back I'll have to send my men." The man growled. "I have him. Why do you even want that stupid merman, Blane? Months of work, and some police officer gets hit with a chemical explosion." "Exactly. If he tells about what we've been doing we'll get arrested. We have to make sure that doesn't happen." "He was so close to the blast I doubt he remembers anything."</p><p>"Why the small tank?" "Brently and Seth had to sneak in and out of Star Labs. I couldn't bring a million gallon tank into the building. Besides, the smaller the better. He has less room to get up to something crazy." "Fine. Move him to my office. And gets those ropes off of him." "Doesn't that increase the chances of him trying to escape?" "Where's he gonna go? We're in the desert, Margaret. He wouldn't last a day."</p><p>Dick grunted as the tank was picked up again, trying to keep his head from hitting the glass. He could only watch as they carried him through halls, which looked similar to the ones at Wayne Enterprises. It was a surprising contrast to the crazy room he'd been in before.</p><p>A hand grabbed his hair and sat him up, holding a knife to his throat. He simply glared at whoever was holding him, daring him to do something. Daring him to hurt the thing his boss wanted. If he was about to become some sort of pet, he wasn't going to do it without a little fun first.</p><p>The ropes around his arms were cut, as well as the ones around his tail. His hands were left alone, which he suspected they did in an attempt to keep him from resisting. They grabbed his arms, and lifted him from the tank.</p><p>Dick struggled, trying to get away from them. Even if he knew he couldn't go anywhere, he wasn't going willingly. He wasn't a puppet to control. He was a seriously pissed off merman who just wanted to see his husband again. They clearly had trouble holding onto him, which made him glad. The harder it was for them, the better it was for him.</p><p>"Are you fools that useless?" Blane snarled. "He's slippery." "He can't go anywhere! Just get him into the tank and stop complicating things." Dick growled, lashing out with his tail and knocking Blane into the wall.</p><p>"Guah! You little bastard." Blane grunted, holding his chest. Dick smirked, wrapping his tail around one of the henchmen's leg and pulling it out from under him. He fell to the floor, and Dick was able to get his knife. He kicked the other henchman away from him, cutting the ropes around his wrists and backing against the wall. He brandished the knife in front of him, warning the others to stay away.</p><p>"What are you going to do? You can't go anywhere. The longer you spend outside the water, the weaker you get. You can't do anything else." Blane snarled. "Maybe I can't go anywhere, but I can make sure I'm not your pet. Not willingly, at least. I'd rather die of dehydration than live as your captive." "Then you'll meet that fate."</p><p>Dick sat against the wall, keeping his eye on everyone there. Sure, he felt lightheaded, but it was going to get a lot worse. He could survive for now. At least Wally wouldn't have to worry about him anymore. He only wished he could say goodbye.</p><p>Someone knocked on the door. "Answer it, Seth." Blane ordered, staring at Dick. "Staring is rude, you know." "So is kicking someone into a wall." "Self defense. Not rude, just protection." "It's not going to matter soon." "I don't care. As long as it keeps your filthy hands away from me, it's good enough for me."</p><p>Seth opened the door, but quickly stepped back. Dick smiled as he saw Amanda, watching as she cornered her three opponents. The Chief was right behind her, and Wally was running to him in his Kid Flash costume. Dick wrapped his arms around Wally's neck, letting the knife drop.</p><p>"Are you alright? Are you hurt? How long have you been out of the water?" Wally asked hurriedly, putting the back of his hand on Dick's forehead. "I'm fine, and I've only been out if the water for a few minutes. How did you find me?" "Cisco had a tracker in the burn medicine. We found you here, and we've got a smaller tank in the helicopter. Not a lot of room, but you get water." "Sounds perfect."</p><p>Wally picked Dick up, carrying him to the roof. Dick was finding it harder to breathe, and Wally knew that. They both knew Dick needed the water to survive. "Dickie? Are you with me?" Wally asked softly, climbing into the helicopter. Dick nodded, sighing as Wally laid him in the tank.</p><p>"I've got to go help them. Will you be alright alone?" "Yeah. Go kick their butts, babe." Wally smiled, kissing Dick's forehead. "I love you." "I love you too, babe. Now go help them." Wally ran off again, and Dick smiled. "I hear you're always getting into situations like this." The pilot said. "Yep. Just another Thursday." "Good luck having a normal relationship." "There's nothing normal about it. I like it that way."</p><p>Amanda just about killed him when she got into the helicopter. "You are never doing that again." "Aw, but Manda!" "Getting turned into a mythical creature and kidnapped twice in two months should not be fun." "I've been kidnapped more before in less than that." "Don't remind me." "You're welcome!" "I hate you." "You love me, Manda." "Uh huh." "See?" "Go to sleep."</p>
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<a name="section0077"><h2>77. You gave me a heart attack!</h2></a>
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    <p>Wally had been at their apartment when the doorbell rang. It was strange, considering he was waiting on Dick and he always used his key. If he'd lost it, he'd knock five times. It was their code.</p><p>Wally opened the door, confused to see the Chief. "Hey, Chief. What are you doing here?" "I've got some bad news, Wally." "What's wrong?" "It's about Dick." Wally's heart skipped a beat. "Is he alright?" "Well, I'm afraid to inform you…"</p><p>Wally's heart nearly stopped. No, this couldn't be happening. Dick couldn't be dead. There was no way he would die. He'd push through, make it to the hospital, and get better. That's how it always was! This, this couldn't be happening.</p><p>"That your husband is an idiot." He stepped to the side, revealing Dick was a cast around his arm. Wally sighed, pulling Dick close and holding him tightly. "Don't scare me like that!" "Sorry, Walls. It was his idea." "Just…never do that again." "We won't. Promise." Dick smiled, wrapping his good arm around Wally.</p><p>"I'll leave you two lovebirds to it." The chief chuckled, turning around to leave. Wally pulled Dick into the apartment, closing the door and leading him to the couch. He laid down and pulled Dick with him, sighing softly. "I thought you were dead." "Is that what you thought?" "Yeah. I know it's stupid, and I know you wouldn't go down that easily, but it scared me. You almost gave me a heart attack."</p><p>Dick chuckled. "I'll make sure not to do it again." "Thank you. I really appreciate it." "It's no problem. How long were you planning on staying up for?" "Until you got home. I get worried sometimes, Dick. I get worried that some nights, you don't make it home to me. Especially when you have close calls. I can't sleep until I know you're safe. I know I can't stop you from playing the hero, no matter who you're playing as, so I make sure I try to support you as best I can. Whether that means being by your side as Kid Flash, or simply getting a bath ready because you're too tired to take a shower, I try. I'm just scared that one day it's not going to matter. That you'll be gone."</p><p>"Aw, Wally." Dick smiled sadly, cupping Wally's face and kissing him softly. "I know it's stupid." "No, it's not. It's not stupid. It's completely reasonable, and I know you try your hardest. Sometimes the only thing that keeps me from passing out is the thought of you waiting. I really do love you, Wally. And I'll do everything I can to come back to you." Wally smiled. "As long as you promise to try to come back, I'll promise to keep out of danger." "Deal." "Love you, Dick." "Love you too, Wally."</p>
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<a name="section0078"><h2>78. Day off</h2></a>
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    <p>Dick woke up to a hand gently shaking his good arm, a kiss being placed on his cheek. "Wakey, wakey. Time for breakfast." "Hmm, five more minutes." "Not right now. You've got your doctor's appointment to check up on that arm." "Fine."</p><p>Dick yawned as he sat up, rubbing his eyes. "I'm making your coffee, and your cereal is ready." "Thanks, babe." "It's no problem. You can't do it as easily with your arm busted up, so I can help." "You really are the best husband anyone could ask for." "Only the best for the best."</p><p>Dick chuckled, sliding out of bed and heading towards the bathroom. Wally trailed after him, making sure he didn't try to use his bad arm. Dick often went on instinct before he had his coffee, so he kept trying to use it. It was Wally's job to keep that from happening.</p><p>How did he do this? Simple. Whenever Dick was walking around, Wally would wrap his arms around the bad arm and pin it to Dick's chest. Dick still had full use of his good arm, and could do what he needed until his coffee kicked in.</p><p>"You don't have to cling to me like a monkey." Dick yawned as he grabbed his hairbrush. "I have to make sure you don't use that arm." "It's not that serious. What am I gonna do with it while I'm brushing my teeth, anyway? Hold the brush with both hands?" "Very funny. Just get ready."</p><p>After getting changed into a t-shirt and jeans, Wally led Dick to the kitchen, where he finally downed his coffee. He felt better afterwards, able to keep his eyes open for more than ten seconds. "Better?" "Much. Although an energy drink would've worked just as well." "Coffee is better for you."</p><p>Dick chuckled. "You can let go now." "Are you saying you don't appreciate my hugs?" "I do, but you're making it hard to breathe." "You could've just said something." "Yeah, yeah. Eat your breakfast. I'm not dealing with you complaining about being hungry the whole time." "Don't you love me?" "Of course! But you can get irritating." "I know. It's part of my charm."</p><p>They giggled, eating in comfortable silence. Dick could hear the TV in the apartment next to them, spouting the news for the morning. Some good, most bad. The usual. Maybe he'd start watching the news on his own TV, but for now he was content just listening.</p><p>The drive to the doctor's office was quiet, except for the radio whispering some song. Sometimes they liked to have their radio turned up, but they wanted it quiet this morning. Quiet was good. You never knew when you'd get a second of quiet in their line of work.</p><p>The wait was quick, for once. It seemed people had decided to not get hurt for one day, and they were able to get into the back quickly. It helped Dick's sanity, considering Wally was starting to get hungry again. The sooner they were out, the sooner Wally could eat again.</p><p>"Hello, Dick. How's that arm been?" Dr Irons asked as he walked in. "Pretty good. No complications so far. Mister speedy over here has been making sure I don't use it." "Getting on your nerves?" "Like you wouldn't believe." "I love you too." "Then explain why you tried to squeeze the air out of me." "I was just trying to keep your arm on your chest."</p><p>"Alright, you two. We're going to do some tests, then determine what the next step is. We'll decide if we need to get you on new painkillers or not." "Sounds great." "You two are going to stay here for a minute and not somehow injure yourselves."</p><p>Dick chuckled, watching as Wally blushed. "I try not to." "Yet you somehow manage, just like your husband over here." "It's part of the job." "A very expensive part." "True."</p><p>They found that Dick's arm was healing well, with no signs of complication. They decided to keep him on the painkillers he was already taking, since they were going the job well. Dick would go home and rest, and he'd be fine.</p><p>"That went well." Wally smiled as they got into the car. "I'm glad. The better it heals, the sooner I get back into the field." "I know you go insane without being a hero, but I think the field with be okay without you for a little while. You do need to relax at some point." "I've got you, Walls. That's all the relaxing I need." "Say that to me when you've got three cases open at the same time and you've downed seven cups of coffee." "I will."</p>
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<a name="section0079"><h2>79. Forensics</h2></a>
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    <p>"What do we have, Morri?" The chief asked as he walked into the lab. "A mess. Your chain of evidence doesn't add up, and this all contrasts itself! Where did you get this?" Morri growled, holding up report after report. "Car wreck. Civilian got killed. You said you had something." The chief sighed. Morri had gotten into the coffee again.</p><p>"Yes! Right. Okay, so, my assistant was looking at that car you brought us, and he found something weird with the brakes. Bank accounts show that this car got the brakes repaired a week ago, yet the brake ads were worn down way too much, and I mean too much. Like, coffee spilling over too much." "Morri, focus. The brakes?" </p><p>"There's no way those brakes were put on a week ago. There's too much damage to them." Dick explained as he walked in, buttoning up his shirt. "Go for a ride?" "Got pulled in. Those brakes showed signs of being used for years, so there was no way those were the ones he asked for." "Want to tell me why my officer got roped in." "Come on, give me a break! He's a hell of a lot better than those idiots I've got, and I needed serious help with this." Morri sighed. "Morri, how much coffee did you drink?" "One cup. Your officer is annoyingly observant." </p><p>"That's what you called me down for." Dick chuckled. "Do we have anything else?" "Yes. Found fingerprints on the cup that didn't match the victim or his family. Still running them, but I'm hoping to get a hit in a few hours." "Alright. Dick, stay down here and help them. If you two find anything, tell me. Work on those fingerprints, but follow up on any leads you find." "Will do!"</p><p>Morri sighed, setting their reports down. "This is a mess." "How so?" "They all came from the same officer, yet some of them went through another, and some didn't, but they all went the same way! I don't understand why people just can't sign off on what they're supposed to." "We'll figure it out. The Science Duo is on the case!" Morri smiled. "Thanks, Dick."</p><p>Three hours and one Chinese food run later, they finally got everything organized. "That was a nightmare and a half." Morri stretched, popping their back. "Yeah. By the way, when's your top surgery?" "Week and a half from now. I have to use some stupid antibacterial soap instead of my watermelon. Dick, I'm not going to survive!" Morri ran a hand through their pink hair. "You'll be fine, Morri. Trust me, those doctors are really good. They've pulled my ass back from death a thousand times." "I know. You've got a reputation down here as hospital boy for a reason." "I don't know if I should be offended, or grateful." "Both." "Yeah, you're right."</p>
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<a name="section0080"><h2>80. I'm still a man!</h2></a>
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    <p>The chief yawned as he stepped into his office, stretching his back out. He hated getting old. It was constant body aches and jokes from everyone about needing a hearing aid. If he saw one more pair of glasses on his desk, he was putting them all through a training course. At least he never got anything from Grayson. Speaking of the acrobat, where was he? The chief hadn't seen him since two days ago.</p><p>"Chief, we got a problem." Amanda growled as she walked in. "What is it?" "This was on my desk this morning. Envelope said put it on yours." "This is a resignation letter." "There's only one officer who hasn't been here recently. I checked his desk, and everything was cleaned out." "You're right. Something's really wrong." The chief grabbed the envelope, opening it and pulling out the paper inside. Sure enough, Dick Grayson's resignation was inside.</p><p>"I thought he was happy here." "He was. Then that big shot from up north came down here and started making his life hell. Don't know what it was, but they did not like each other." "I'll talk to him later. See if you can call him and get an explanation. This isn't like him." Amanda nodded, walking out of his office.</p><p>Dick was in his bathroom, looking at his reflection in the mirror. He looked at his short hair, at his flat chest, at his surgery scars. Dick had fought for so many years to be seen as who he truly was, and he was almost there. He'd been on testosterone for six years now, and had gotten part of his body changed thanks to Doctor Fate, but some people just didn't seem to understand. His name was Dick, not Dixie. </p><p>The reflection glitched for a second, revealing a slim woman with long hair and thick curves. Dick felt himself whimper. "That's not me." He whispered, rubbing his eyes. No, no that wasn't him! He wasn't a girl! He was a man, with a beautiful husband and, until yesterday, a stable job. No, he hadn't told Wally about his resignation yet. He needed to find another job. That's what he needed to focus on.</p><p>Wally walked into the bathroom frowning at the look on Dick's face. "Alright, spill." Dick looked over. "Spill what?" "Something's bothering you. What is it?" "It's nothing, Walls, really. The dysphoria is just getting bad again." Dick smiled sadly as Wally wrapped his arms around him, the taller pressing a kiss to his forehead. "Is it that guy again? You know I'll kick his ass for you." Dick chuckled. "I know. But it's fine. I don't have to worry about him anymore."</p><p>"That's good. Oh, Amanda called. Just thought I should let you know." Dick nodded. Wally kissed his forehead again. "I've got to head out to work soon. I'll see you later?" "Yeah. See you later, Walls." Dick felt guilt punch him in the gut. Wally thought he was going to work today. But he didn't have a job anymore. What would Wally think? He needed to find something else, and quick.</p><p>His phone started ringing again, pulling him from the bathroom. Dick sighed, answering the call without thinking about it. "This is Dick Grayson." "Why the hell was your resignation on my desk this morning?" Dick paled. "Hey, Amanda." "I'll repeat: why the hell was your resignation on my desk?" "Amanda, let me explain." "You better do it quick. We need you, Dickie, and you're gone."</p><p>Dick gulped. "I wasn't happy there anymore." "Because of that idiot from up north? You could've told us, instead of resigning." "It's not just him, exactly. I…I don't know how to explain it." "Try." "Every time I'm around him, he makes me feel like a girl. Amanda, you know I've fought for years to be like this, and just being around him erases it. It's starting to spread, too. It's other cops now. I see flashes of it in mirrors. Hear flashes of it when I speak. I can't take it anymore."</p><p>"Dick, that's the dysphoria speaking. That's not true, and you know it. You're not a girl anymore, you're a guy. Hell, you've been through surgery to correct it. That takes dedication if you've got access. Look, just come by later, around three or so. It'll just be me and the chief. We'll say you took a day off. Just please come in so we can help you, okay?" Dick bit his lip. "I'll try."</p><p>Sure enough, he was on the steps of the department a few hours later, taking deep breaths to try and reassure himself that this was the right thing. Maybe he should just let them file the form. That'll free him up for another job. No, that wasn't right. He could feel it out here too; that venom that seeped into his bones, the one that made him feel like all eyes were on him. The one that made his chest heavy with phantom pains.</p><p>Dick gulped as he walked in, trying to ignore all the venom that pumped into him. The one that said he was being stared at, the one that told him he was being talked about behind his back. He walked up to Amanda's desk, smiling down at her. "Hey, Amanda. Said you wanted to talk?" "Hey, Dickie. Chief's in his office. Let's go there." Dick followed her, ignoring the burning skin. Nothing felt right anymore.</p><p>"He's here, Chief." Amanda closed the door behind them, letting the lock click in place. Dick stood there awkwardly, gently rubbing his arm. "We need to talk." "So I've heard." Dick sat in one of the seats, avoiding the Chief's eyes. "Amanda tells me the dysphoria is getting bad again." Dick nodded. "Is it bad enough to make you want to quit?" "It's the worse here. There's only so much a person can take before they crack."</p><p>The Chief sighed. "Look, kid, I know you're going through a hell of a lot right now, but you need to talk to someone. We've seen how you love your job. You love being able to save people. Are you really going to throw that all away during the day? And for what? The best jobs around here are all taken. You'll be working a desk job before you do anything else. At least here you can slip away and save the day." Dick didn't say anything. He didn't have to. They all knew it meant too much to him.</p><p>"I'll make you a deal, alright? I won't file this paper, and you can do what you want with it. Destroy it, burn it, I don't care. My only condition is you get some help for this, okay? You talk to someone who knows this stuff, and you figure out what you can do. I'll give you a few days off." "Really?" "Really. As long as your husband knows." Dick nodded again. "We'll be keeping a closer eye on our hot rod, in case he does something. If he does, we'll get him transferred somewhere else, alright?" Dick nodded again.</p><p>"Remember this, Dick: your mind may tell you you're a girl, but you're not. You've fought thousands of battles to prove that. Don't let the dysphoria win. Best that battle, just like you've done the rest." Dick grinned, wrapping his arms around the Chief. He really must be insane if he thought he could leave. No, he needed this place too much. The Chief was right. It was time to win one more battle.</p>
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